ã€ŠProject Soul: Preludeã€‹


 Prologue - The life-changing legend

    Legends are the holes in history which we fill with imagination. In Ionyr''s travels, it had struck him that of all the stories he heard as a child, only a scant few had stuck with him. Between those vastly different stories, like the mythos of the First King Firemane and the tall tale of the Sea Monkeys,  there was but one thing in common ¨C they all managed to pique his curiosity. They compelled his mind to swirl to new heights, forever growing in a vain attempt to comprehend their vast scale and fascinating implications.

    But none, not even his all-time favorite story, had come close to the one he''d chosen to dedicate his life to. To prove it was no mere legend ¨C to prove it was history. He remembered the day he first heard it as though it were yesterday. Life before that day was a faded, washed out blur ¨C like it was that particular day that his consciousness first came to be.

    It was a hot summer evening, and the sun had just begun to melt into the horizon. Its golden rays shone across the village''s tiled rooftops, through the boards covering the window and into his room. The air was filled with the scent of lavender. His mom had burnt some in the fireplace in the other room that night, like every other night. Yet it was the smell of that particular batch of burnt lavender that his nose remembered best, sticking with him for decades upon decades. It wafted through the thin wooden door into his bedroom, coating the air with its calming scent.

    His mother told him once, as her mother had told her, that burning lavender in the fireplace was an old custom meant to help them sleep softly and tightly. But that day, it didn''t help him sleep. What he needed was answers, he thought as she tucked him in next to his brother Ielus into their shared bed.

    It was creaky and shaky from all the pillow fights and jumping competitions they''d had over the years ¨C of course, Ionyr had won all of them. The bed never was comfortable, but he could live with it. Never kept him from a good night''s rest before. Tonight was different. With all these questions burning in his mind, he needed answers. As his mother went to leave the room, he called out to her.

    ¡°Tell us a story, mom!¡± She turned slowly to look at him. He could barely make out the rings under her eyes in the light of the candle she held. He felt an elbow in his side.

    "Mom is tired, let her sleep." Ielus whispered in his ear. He wasn''t wrong. But with his racing mind, Ionyr wouldn''t have been able to sleep anyway.

    "Aren''t you curious about what Rayza told us?" He blurted out.

    "Yeah, but..." Ielus glanced at their mother. She smiled and set down the candle on the table by the door.

    "Now, now, Ielus, it''s quite alright. I can tell you a story." Taking the chair beside it, she sat down on it next to their bed. "You''ve got me curious, now. What did Rayza tell you?"

    "Who were the Creators?" Ionyr asked. Her eyes widened for a brief moment, but quickly relaxed.

    ¡°I don''t think you''re old enough for that story. How about the story of the Sea Monkeys?¡± Not again!

    ¡°No! We want to hear the story about the Creators!" Ionyr said we, but it was truly his own curiosity he wanted to satisfy. Though judging by his brother''s lack of protest, and him leaning in with an excited glint in his eyes, Ionyr was not too far off.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Their mother said with a yawn. "I suppose Rayza must''ve dug through her father''s notes. I''ll have to tell him tomorrow." Drat. She''ll probably get an earful from her father for that. He saw Ielus giving him a glare in his peripheral. Yeah, Ionyr thought, I''ll have to make it up to her somehow.

    ¡°Then let me tell you of the Creators." His ears perked up in excitement. Finally! He''d been waiting for this all day! Ever since he heard about the story from Rayza that afternoon, he hadn''t been able to get it out of his head.

    But his mother didn''t continue. She simply stared ahead, into space.

    "Mom?" She blinked and shook her head, as though she''d awoken from a deep slumber.

    "R-right. The Creators." She cleared her throat. It was getting worse.

    "Once upon a time, a very long time ago, ancient gods created this world and all life in it. From the tiniest plant to the greatest beast, even us humans owe our lives to them. These beings are what we call the Creators.¡± The brothers went quiet and listened intently. All else was forgotten in the name of satiating their endless curiosity.

    ¡°The Beginning, as it is now known, was a time of peace and harmony. With their great miracles, the Creators made sure that life could bloom to its full potential, whereever it decided to take root.¡±

    ¡°Miracles? What miracles?¡± All Rayza had told him was that the Creators had created the world they lived in. What was this about miracles?

    ¡°They were skilled inventors and craftsmen. Using methods and knowledge unrivalled even by the greatest minds of our time, they were able to make the impossible possible.¡± His mind was flooded by endless ideas of what that could mean. So many possibilities he didn''t know which insane image to entertain first.

    He looked over to find the same flabbergasted look on his brother. Making the impossible possible...what kind of creation could conceivably do so? What did the Creators create? How did they do it? With all the burning questions in his mind, all he wanted was something to latch onto, something he could base his boundless imagination on before it kept him up all night.

    ¡°Like what?" He asked ¨C he needed to know.

    ¡°They could create flying machines.¡± Flying machines?!

    ¡°No way!¡± Ionyr yelled excitedly.

    "No way!" Ielus yelled astonishedly.

    Their mother laughed as they gushed over the ridiculous idea she''d presented them. Flying through the sky like a bird? How fun would that be?!

    "What else, what else?" Ielus asked with an enraptured glimmer in his eyes. Even tired as their mother was, whenever they got excited, she smiled with them. A tired smile, worn by the heavy burden of being the mother of the two loudest and most rambunctious boys in their small town, but a genuine smile nevertheless.

    "It is said they were also able to create cities wherever they so chose. Beneath the earth, under the water or even on clouds. Nature was no obstacle to them, since..." She shrugged. "Well, they created it."

    Stunned silent, their tiny minds began to wrestle with this new information. They were awestruck.

    "Whoa...that...is SO COOL!" Ionyr''s excitement overflowed, and his mouth began leaking all the wild fantasies in his head like a leaky bucket. Did they have fire swords? Lightning spears? Or maybe even...!

    "Mom, could they maybe...heal your sickness?" She suddenly fell silent at Ielus'' question. Her smile dropped.

    "Mom?" Ielus asked, timidly. "Could they?"

    "I don''t know." She said, smiling. It was obviously forced, worn down by the years of fighting a losing battle. "If they did, that knowledge is lost now."

    The silence was deafening. Both brothers knew what she was trying to say. Ionyr glanced at Ielus, and saw tears forming in the corner of his eyes. His hands were trembling. Ionyr quickly changed the subject.

    "Continue the story, Mom." She remained silent however, spaced out and staring at nothing. "Mom?"

    "Oh, sorry. I was wondering whether you two were ready for the next part of the legend." She said, snapping back to reality. It kept happening more and more frequently. Ielus tightly gripped their blanket. "But you''re old enough now."

    "Don''t worry, mom! We''re all grown up now, we can handle it!" Ionyr boisterously beat his chest, to lift the mood and snap his brother from his somber thoughts. "Right, Ielus?"

    "Hm? Oh, y-yeah, we can handle it!" His brother followed his lead, and proudly puffed out his chest. Their mother laughed again.

    "You can only claim that you''re grown up on the day you have your own children. Until then, you are still my little boys." Saying that, she sat down at Ielus'' feet and ruffled his hair. She knew. She was painfully aware of the horrible hand fate had dealt her ¨C and by extension, her sons. And yet, refused to show it.

    "But you are probably old enough to hear this chapter in their story." She turned her gaze toward Ionyr. "But...if it gets too much, tell me. I don''t want to be woken up by any nightmares tonight." He nodded, knowing full well that she wasn''t talking about him. He''d look after Ielus. If that was the price he had to pay for the answers he wanted, then he''d happily do it. She leaned back in her chair, smiling.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°I warned you." She cleared her throat. "One day, disaster struck the world. The earth shook and split wide open. From the crater rose...something.¡± She crossed her arms.

    "It was a being unlike any other in this world. To this day, no one knows for sure what kind of being it was. Some call it a demon, others a force of nature..." Her gaze hardened. "The only thing everyone can agree on is its name. It was the One known as...the Calamity."

    The Calamity? Ionyr glanced at his brother, but Ielus seemed equally confused. This sounded like such a big deal, though. The Calamity. With a name like that, it sounded like something everyone should know. As their mother continued the story, she leaned in and spoke in a quieter, softer tone. Almost as if the Calamity were listening.

    ¡°Wherever it went, it destroyed the life the Creators had spent so carefully cultivating. It devoured the souls of the living to fuel its rampage ¨C no living thing, man or beast, could stand against it. Didn''t take long for the entire world to rally against it in a desperate struggle for survival. That struggle is known as the Shattering.¡±

    ¡°The Shattering? Why is it called that?" Ionyr asked.

    "What shattered?" Ielus added.

    ¡°All in its due time." She said, patting Ielus'' head. "The Shattering was the first great conflict in the Creators'' world. It ravaged all the land. No living being could escape its reach, not even in the Creator''s hidden sanctuaries. Eventually, Humanity and Creators joined arms, but even together, they were unable to best it." The sun had set. Their room was no longer lit by its golden rays ¨C only the dim candle light remained. Its shaky fire caused soft shadows to dance upon their mother''s features.

    "Raging against the light, the demon brought down its fist upon the earth. A strike so powerful, it managed to tear the lands apart." Wait. Ionyr had a terrifying epiphany. Did that mean...?

    "The ground shattered?" She nodded solemnly. "The four continents...were once one?

    "Indeed. The south became a desolate crater. No one knows how it looked before the Shattering. And even now, thousands of years later, no life can exist there. The land is constantly hounded by lightning storms, manifestations of its undying hatred." The wind picked up outside. It caused the wooden covers on the window to swing open ever so slightly, and the stiff breeze nearly extinguished the candle. She quickly closed the window and held it shut. It seemed like a storm was on its way.

    "That is why it is called the Shattering. The Calamity shattered the previous order of the land and tore humans apart. No longer were we all living together. Brothers were torn apart by great ravines, and those ravines filled with water to form the oceans we know today.¡± The boys looked at each other in fear.

    "Does that mean...the western Isles were also once one?"

    "That punch was so strong, it split that land too?" Ielus said, shuddering.

    ¡°You two are very lucky to be alive today.¡± She said solemnly. "In those times, you two could have been the one to be reft apart." A terrifying thought. To be separated from his brother? How could Ionyr protect him like that? Besides, how did they live if the Calamity was that strong?

    ¡°But they won, right? The humans and Creators?¡± Ionyr asked, trying to soothe his brother''s fear. Despite knowing there had to be a good ending to this story, he felt uneasy. The idea that the world could have ended before they were even born was a horrific thought.

    ¡°Yes...they won. After a century, the war ended. But at what cost? Many, many people had to be sacrificed for that victory. Even the gods themselves had to give their lives to end the bloodshed.¡± Wait. The gods...were not strong enough?

    "Why? If they were gods, couldn''t they just...un-create the Calamity?" His brother asked, but their mother shook her head.

    "I''m afraid not. It was far too powerful."

    "But they were gods! Surely they were strong enough!" Ielus cried out, surprising them both. She continued after composing herself.

    "The Calamity had taken too many lives. It''s power had far surpassed the gods by that point." Ielus fell silent, but his face betrayed a certain dissatisfaction. He looked almost insulted at the notion that gods could be beaten.

    ¡°But the Calamity was beaten, right?¡± Ionyr interjected. Sorry, Ielus, he thought, I need to hear how this story ends.

    ¡°The Creators realized that the longer the war lasted, the more souls the Calamity would consume. To stop it from gaining even more power, they devised a plan." After locking the window covers in place, she took the candle from the table and sat back down on the chair.

    "A god''s soul is worth a hundred, if not thousand human souls. Using themselves as bait, they lured the demon back to the ruined south. When it arrived to eat their souls, they sprung their trap." The wind began to blow strong against the blocked window.

    "The Creators sealed themselves and the Calamity into a black sphere. It is said that it could be heard screaming and raging against its bindings all over the world as its prison, and all those sealed within, fell into the very crater it had created.¡± The candle flickered wildly as a stray gust flew through the creaking window covers.

    "S-so you''re saying-'''' Their mother shushed Ielus and gave him a peck on the forehead.

    ¡°The story tells us no more. The Calamity is gone. Like a bad dream, its existence faded into obscurity, and the world began to heal.¡± Ionyr knew the obvious truth she refused to say openly.

    ¡°But...it''s still alive...right?¡± Ielus spoke aloud what Ionyr wished to keep to himself. That was a question he''d rather not have the answer to. She noticed his expression.

    ¡°Don''t worry dear.¡± Their mother smiled as she also gave Ionyr a peck on the forehead, and ruffled his hair. The candle''s fire steadily burned between the three of them, illuminating their faces and shutting out the shadows. ¡°It is just a story after all. The truth is, many scholars don''t believe it to be real. Despite how old it is.¡±

    ¡°How old is it, Mom?¡± Ionyr interjected, eager to move his thoughts to a different place. One where he''d enjoy hearing the answers.

    She paused, and gazed distantly into the flame. It was as if her mind were racing through history, tracing the origin of the story to its very beginning, losing itself in the eternal flow of time. Her state was getting worse by the day.

    "Mom?" He asked again, timidly. She blinked, as if having returned.

    ¡°That is a good question." Their mother shrugged and laughed weakly. She was obviously trying, and failing, to pretend she was alright. "I don''t know. I think no one knows for sure. It is hard to tell, since this legend has been passed through many, many generations. And despite its age, no one has found any evidence to prove it real.¡±

    "No one has found anything?" Ionyr asked incredulously, and she shook her head. Seriously, no one? Not one person in all of history has discovered even a single clue?

    "Nothing. The Creators'' existence remains unproven to this day." She smiled. "That is why it''s told as a legend, and not as history." She gave them each another good night kiss before getting up and heading to the door.

    ¡°Good night, Ielus. Good night, Ionyr. Love you both.¡±

    ¡°Good night, Mom.¡±

    ¡°Good night, Mom. Love you.¡±

    She closed the door. Without the light of her candle, darkness took the room. As they lay in bed, Ionyr waited until he could no longer hear the floorboards creaking, then immediately turned to his brother.

    ¡°Hey, Ielus?¡± He tried to keep his voice down.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Came the answer from the darkness beside him.

    ¡°Let us be the first.¡± He said, with a light grin.

    ¡°The first what?¡± Ielus sounded a little uncertain, but he must know what Ionyr was thinking.

    ¡°The first to find the proof of the Creators, of course!¡± Ionyr said, barely able to contain his excitement.

    ¡°Hey, you stole my idea!¡± Ielus was just as excited about it, though a little annoyed that Ionyr had said it first.

    "No way! You thought of it too?" He should''ve known ¨C their lines of thinking were almost always the same. This time was no different.

    "Duh! We would go down in history!" This time, though, it was.

    "And think of all the cool creations they must have left behind!" A thought entered Ionyr''s mind.

    "Yeah! With those, we could bring back peace and harmony to the world, like they did! We''d be legends!" Peace and harmony...legends...Ionyr was thinking about something else entirely. And he was certain that Ielus was just putting on airs. He had the same idea, Ionyr was sure of it.

    ¡°Legends..." They could save their mother. Ionyr was certain of it ¨C Ielus'' mind was entertaining the same thought. But unlike Ielus, Ionyr knew the ugly truth. It was too late for her.

    "...yeah! We''d be legends!" Ionyr said. He would smile and play along. For his brother. "We have to tell Rayza about it tomorrow!"

    ¡°You sure you want to be the one to tell her?¡± Ielus said, with a slight snark to his voice. "She''ll be furious that you blabbed to mother."

    "Ah. Drat." He''d forgotten. "I''ll have to apologize."

    "Yeah. How about I tell her in your place?" Why, though? It was just an apology.

    "Nah, I''ll do it. Not the first time I have to apologize."

    "You probably shouldn''t be making a habit of it. She pays a lot for your mistakes." He''s got a point. Ionyr realized he better get his act together before he lost one of his best friends.

    "...fair. But don''t worry, it''ll be fine."

    "If you say so." Ielus sounded a little annoyed. "By the way, won''t her father be mad if we involve her in our schemes again?" Ionyr sighed and rolled his eyes. There Ielus went again, overthinking things ¨C always so worried about Rayza.

    "Ielus, whatever her father says, she will want to be part of our dream. So even if you try to stop me, I will still tell her." Silence. Ionyr sighed and continued, trying to smooth things over.

    "I get it. You''re worried about her. But she''s still our friend, after everything we went through. She trusts us. And we return that trust by letting her be part of our dream."

    "She definitely trusts you." Huh? Where did that come from?

    "What do you mean?" Ionyr asked, but there was no response besides the sounds of shuffling sheets and tugging on their blanket. It seemed like Ielus had turned his back to him.

    "Good night, brother." Why was Ielus acting like this? Whatever, Ionyr thought, maybe he''s still a little riled up from the story of the Calamity. Thinking nothing of it, he made himself comfortable on his back and closed his eyes.

    "Good night, Ielus."

 Chapter 1 - Town of Mysteries

    It was storming that night. A young lady ran through the muddy road, constantly battered by cold droplets. Her hood kept falling off her head, letting the rain through to soak her blonde hair. She grimaced as a few hit her eyes as well. Cover. She needed cover, preferably in the form of a roof over her head.

    Where was that blasted tavern the innkeeper mentioned? It wasn''t supposed to be this far from the inn! Damn storm, she cursed beneath her breath. Just her luck. The dense fog already made this place hard enough to navigate, then this thunderstorm decides to blindside her out of nowhere!

    ''Look for the large house with lit windows.'' The innkeeper had said. At first she thought it was a joke, but sure enough, not one house she ran past had light in its windows. These houses all looked freshly built, so why were there no lights - it wasn''t so late that everyone would be asleep. Did anyone even live here?!

    Questions for later, she thought as she finally caught sight of light in the fog. Around the small specks was the silhouette of a large house. Windows were lit - the description fit, had to be the tavern. Even if it wasn''t, she was going in anyway. Anything to get out of the rain and into a warm place.

    The building looked incredibly old-fashioned ¨C straw roof, carvings in the wooden walls and that same freshly-built quality of the other houses. As she approached it, her steps quickened. When she finally reached the front porch, she jumped up the steps and loudly swung open the door without hesitation.

    While gasping for air, she let her gaze wander along the tavern, which was also permeated by a thin misty veil. The tavern was much smaller on the inside than one would think looking at it from outside. The bar was tucked away on the far side, and behind the counter, a back door led to what was presumably a storeroom. Lanterns of all shapes and sizes were distributed around the tavern, small flames of differing colours flickered inside them. There was one on every other table.

    The patrons sitting at those tables were all staring at their own drinks, each of them on their own. Her loud entrance earned her only an indifferent reaction - they paid her no mind besides a quick, vacant glance, their faces betraying a deep sense of unease. Eyes wide, hands shaking. What''s up with these people, she thought as she headed for the bar, better finish my business quickly and get out of here.

    "Need supplies for the road. Enough for a week." She said to the bartender, who nodded and disappeared into what was now confirmed to be a storeroom. While waiting, she continued to look around the tavern while nervously tapping her foot. She hadn''t been able to shake this feeling - this feeling that there was something terribly wrong about this town.

    When she and Ionyr had come upon it, they thought themselves lucky at first ¨C having been lost in this thick fog for hours, it was like finding an oasis in the desert. Finally, civilization, they thought. But the longer they stayed, the more...off everything seemed.

    Everyone looked so young and strong, yet their expressions showed nothing but unending exhaustion. This thick haze pervaded everywhere, even indoors. Only reason they could find the inn earlier is because of the light in the windows - same as this tavern.

    Eventually, the bartender returned with a large satchel and placed it before her on the counter. She took it and dropped two silver coins on the table. Shaking his head, the man slid them back to her. What was with these people? Refusing money like that. It was the same at the inn, too. She opened the satchel to check its contents, finding only grey, colourless strips of presumably meat.

    "What is this?" She asked as the bartender poured himself a tankard of mead, which smelled staler than weeks-old bread. The lantern hanging above the counter flickered briefly.

    "Meat." Was his curt reply.

    "What kind?"

    "The kind that don''t rot." Furrowing her eyebrows, she picked up a piece and went to take a bite. The bartender suddenly and fiercely grabbed her arm. "Warm it first, over an open fire." He said, staring deeply into her eyes, as though trying to pierce her soul. "Do not waste this gift. It is precious. Treasure it." She got the distinct feeling that he wasn''t talking about food. Not this desperately and forebodingly.

    "Sure. I won''t." She said, tearing her arm from his grip. If she could, she''d be booking it out the door right now. But she couldn¡¯t return to Ionyr with food for only his stomach ¨C he needed his curiosity satisfied too. He smelled a big find here ¨C and his nose was often right when it came to that. ¡°You got a storyteller in here?"

    Who better to ask about local myths and legends?

    The bartender sighed, and pointed at a table in the corner, beside the fogged up window, before helping himself to the rest of his drink. A hooded man sat at the table, staring down his tankard. Despite wearing a worn, thick cloak, it betrayed his large frame. He wore a stained white shirt beneath, though it wasn''t closed, letting his massive gut spill out. The man looked like a fat monkey in human form ¨C she felt slightly disgusted, but if that was the storyteller, she''d deal with it.

    "Thanks." She said to the bartender before heading over to the table, while he refilled his tankard behind her. Stopping in front of the storyteller, she tapped on his table to get his attention. He gave her nary a glance. Suddenly, lightning flashed outside.

    "Leave." His beard, brown and luscious, didn''t fit with his old, decrepit and broken voice. His purple eyes glimmered beneath the hood as he looked back at her. "Here, those who cling to death gather. You, with life in your eyes ¨C you have no place here. Begone."

    "I can tell." She said, sitting down. "This town is dreadful. Everyone''s rude and stuck in their own little world. Can¡¯t even get a hello."

    "What brings you here in the first place?" He grumbled, seemingly annoyed at her persistence.

    "To you, or to this town?"

    "I can guess why you''re talking to me. ¡°What brings you to this town?" She sighed.

    "Trust me, I didn''t want to end in this...sorry to say this, but this is a dump."

    "Har! You can say that again." The man responded with a light grin, revealing oddly shiny teeth.

    "We were on our way to Orborrow when we got caught up in this fog." She glanced out the window. Rain drops forcefully splattered against it, their thumping on the glass being the only constant in this dead silent tavern.

    "We?" The man asked, taking hold of his jug. "You came with someone else, did ye?"

    "Yes. My..." She paused. "My travel companion." He paused and ran his hand through his beard. She could''ve sworn he was hiding a grin, but he took a swig of mead before she could see for sure. He raised his head, and she finally caught a glimpse under the hood ¨C albeit a short one.

    The only, meagre lighting came from the lantern on his walking stick, whose purple flame danced in its cage. His skin was youthful and healthy ¨C fitting of a man endowed with such a full beard. His eyes glimmered in the shadow of his hood. Something was off. Flames aren''t purple, and eyes don''t glow on their own.

    "Let me introduce myself. I''m Rudd, the local storyteller." He held out his hand. "Care to give this old man your name?"

    "Rayza." She shook his hand. It was thick, burly, and...very hairy. Too hairy. After shaking his hand, she let her hand drift below the table, where she wiped it on her cloak, before letting it rest on the dagger she kept in her thigh strap.

    "Pleasure to meet you, Rayza." He waved at the bartender, who nodded and disappeared into the back room. "Colour me surprised. I can tell you''re on edge. But you refused my advice, and decided to stay. Why?"

    "Wouldn''t make it far as an explorer if I ran the first chance I got." She sighed and tapped her fingers on the table. "And someone thought there''d be treasure here. Hence why I''m talking with you."

    "An explorer, huh?" He said, grinning with his unnaturally immaculate white teeth. "So, you''re on a treasure hunt. Fascinating. Do tell me more."

    "You''re creepy, you know that?" He suddenly guffawed loudly, holding his oversized beer belly.

    "I do. You''ve been on edge ever since you sat down there. Do you really think I don''t notice you gripping that dagger for dear life?" How did he know?! He raised a hand. "Relax. I''d react the same way in your shoes. After all, this is no place for those clinging to life." The bartender arrived, bringing two new tankards filled with mead. "Will you join me for a drink?"

    "...is it poisoned?" She still refused to let go of her dagger. He grinned.

    "You can have mine if you wish ¨C both taste like right shite though."

    "Sorry, but I''ll pass." Rudd shrugged and took one. The bartender took the other and began chugging it down as he made his way back to the counter. "So, about that treasure..."

    "Ahh, you remind me of myself in my younger days. Used to go huntin'' for treasure all the time." He took a massive swig of mead. "Ah, but those days''re long gone. Anyhow, enough about me. What kinda treasure you lookin'' for?"

    Something had changed about Rudd. In their brief conversation, it seemed as though his manner of speaking had become more loose, like he was shaking off age-old rust.

    "See, that''s the thing. It might exist, it might not exist. We are looking for ruins. The more ancient, the better." Rudd''s grip on his tankard tightened, and his eyes twinkled. Was he¡­getting giddy? "Specifically, ruins left by the Creators."

    "Perfect." He said, smirking widely. "I got just the story for you. But first, I need to know." Picking up his tankard, he leaned in close. Shockingly, despite his looks and habits, his breath didn¡¯t reek whatsoever. "Why do you chase a myth? You said it yourself, it might not exist. Why risk your time in this world ¨C your life for this?"

    "Why, huh? Good question." Even now, she wanted to get out of here. Every fibre of her being was yelling at her that there was something deeply wrong. The hand holding her dagger still trembled, but she refused to show her fear.

    The image of Ionyr excitedly pouring over their maps and scrolls in the inn popped up in her mind. That''s how she left him ¨C he was probably still at it, excitedly waiting for her return. Sighing, she leaned her other arm on the table and rested her face in its palm. She couldn''t contain the wistful smile forming on her lips, and her body from relaxing.

    "Good question indeed." Rayza mumbled, covering her mouth. Rudd chuckled.

    "I can guess. You act all tough, but are a real softie inside, huh?" Trying to hide her embarrassment, she turned her head towards the window and glared at him.

    "Weren''t you gonna tell me a story? Do your damn job and get to it." She tightened her grip on the dagger.

    "Aye, I was. One moment." Rudd finished his mead and waved at the bartender before stretching. His gut shook with every movement he made. Rayza looked away ¨C it was not pleasant to look at. Not with all that hair.

    "So, you were lookin'' for treasure related to the Creators ¨C you don''t need me to tell ye that their existence is mere myth." The bartender brought him two new mugs. Rudd picked up one and began playfully swirling it in his hand, letting the mead inside slosh about. "No one has yet to prove them real ¨C and yet, there are many, many tales surrounding their existence. Have you heard of the Calamity before?"

    "Of course. Who hasn''t?" Rayza rolled her eyes. "I hope you got something better than that."

    "Oi. What kinda lousy storyteller do you take me for?" Rudd rebuked with a grin. "Let me ask you this, then. How does the tale end?"

    "How it ends?" She was confused. But also intrigued ¨C did this mean that Rudd knew a different ending to the tale? "The Calamity is sealed on the Dead South, and everyone lives happily ever after, no?"

    "That is indeed the end of the Calamity. However¡­it¡¯s end is not the end of the Creators. The final part of that tale has been lost." He went to take a swig of mead and leaned back in his seat.

    "And you know that part, hm?" Rudd set down his jug and chuckled.

    "Smart lass. Indeed, that lost part has been preserved in this town. We know it as the tale of the Two Stars." In all their time pouring over the scriptures her father had left her, not once was a story named the Two Stars mentioned. Ionyr''s nose was right on the money!

    "Well, what are you waiting for? Out with it!" She asked, leaning in closer, causing Rudd to laugh merrily.

    "You''re an amusing one, Rayza. Sure I can''t interest you in a drink?" She briefly glanced at the mead, but the stale smell quickly made her reconsider.

    "No thanks. I''ll be having one tale of Two Stars instead.¡± He raised an eyebrow. ¡°If you please."

    "Cryin'' shame. Even mead this stale tastes better when shared. Especially with a pretty lady." He winked at her, causing her to sigh and go to take off her smooth leather glove. Rudd raised his hand, stopping her. "Don''t bother, lass. I know." He said before clearing his throat. Wait¡­how did he know?

    "This story happened near the end of the Calamity''s onslaught. The Creators, realising what they would have to do, spent their final years working. They worked on their greatest creation yet ¨C their final blessing for humanity."

    "The two Stars, I take it?" Rudd nodded.

    "Aye. The two Stars. Before they departed for the South, they sent those two Stars down to earth from their castles in the sky. One is said to have landed in the Western Isles, and the other in the East¡­right here, in our beautiful land of Idyllis.¡±

    ¡°Where exactly?¡± She asked, unable to hide her excitement.

    ¡°You have a map on you?" Rayza pulled a map of Idyllis from her pouch, and opened it on the table. Rudd leaned over it. "This map''s incomplete." An astute observation.

    "Obviously. I drew it myself." He raised an eyebrow.

    "Did ye? Well, then I won''t blame ye for not having this town on it ¨C you won''t find it on any map. However..." He tapped on the valley near the eastern coast. "You messed up ¨C there¡¯s a bay here."

    "You''re kidding, right?" Rayza said, annoyed that someone would try and tear down the map she drew over the course of their travels ¨C it was like questioning the legitimacy of those adventures themselves. "If the sea level is that high, then all these settlements here should be flooded." She pointed out all the small towns and villages they¡¯d visited along the coast.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    "Oh. I see." He chuckled awkwardly. "Don''t get out much, you see."

    "Even so, you shouldn''t be able to confuse something this obvious." She sighed. "Anyway, you wanted to point out where the other Star fell?"

    "Aye, aye. Shiver me timbers..." He mumbled, before downing the rest of his drink with one large gulp. After letting out a long sigh, he pointed out that same valley, specifically the eastern side. "Right here. The second Star fell here¡­or so it is said."

    "Thanks." Rayza felt a little bad for snapping at him. Rudd was gazing into empty space with a forlorn look. After glancing at the untouched jug of mead, she picked it up. Why not, she thought as she had a small sip.

    She gagged and coughed loudly. It tasted horrible ¨C like it had been sitting and rotting in that jug for months. Rudd laughed loudly as Rayza pulled out her flask and gulped down half the water inside. Anything to wash away this disgusting aftertaste ¨C oh Spirits, it was going to her nose too! She quickly pinched it shut. Hopefully this would prevent her having to smell this rotten mead for the rest of the day.

    "A little strong for the lass, hm?" Rudd smirked widely, his eyes glistening with glee at her expense.

    "Not strong. Fucking terrible. How do you drink so much of it?" He leaned back and downed most of her leftovers.

    "After a while, you stop tasting it. Besides, the ol¡¯ chap don''t have anything else in stock." Rudd cleared his throat again, signalling that he was finally concluding his story. She packed her map and leaned in to listen. "There is a cave at the spot I pointed out. Over the years, many have gone in that cave in search of treasure. Not one person returned."

    "Say, Rudd." Rayze played with her hair. "How do you know the Star is kept there?"

    "How do you know the Creators exist?"

    "Touch¨¦." He had her there.

    "In the end, all of these myths are just that ¨C myths. Passed from mouth to mouth, generation to generation. You should count yourself lucky that..." He paused, recognition flashing across his face. "Because you found this town, you were able to learn of the Star''s existence. Nowhere else did their legend survive. Otherwise you would''ve known it already, right?" She nodded.

    "True. I''ve never heard this tale before ¨C from my father''s notes, or any other storyteller." She said slowly, pensively. "But, and forgive me for saying this, it seems a little convenient. Too convenient."

    "Still got a tight grip on that dagger o'' yours, I see." Rudd noted. He wasn''t wrong ¨C she was still very much on edge.

    "What makes you think I can trust you? Why shouldn''t I believe that you people killed those adventurers trying to explore the cave?" He ran a hand through his beard.

    "Now why would we do that?"

    "How should I know? All I know is that this whole thing smells rotten. Worse than the mead, in fact." He leaned in and grinned.

    "Ah, I see. You''re afraid." He chuckled. "Afraid to gamble your life ¨C or should I say, your lives. I can understand. It''s not something anyone can do. One mistake, and poof. You''re gone. For eternity. No take backs. However...how is that any different from what you''re doing anyway?"

    "What do you mean?" Rayza tightened her grip on the dagger, her hand trembling.

    "Lass. You chase a dream, day after day. If you spend three days on an adventure that ends in failure, even if you try again, that time will not return. You only get so much of it ¨C one day, eternal doom will come a'' knockin'' for you anyhow." The sound of the blinders being tossed by the wind outside resounded loudly through the tavern as they knocked against the glass.

    "You''re already gamblin'' your life away every day. So let me tell ye this: if ye ¨C both of ye are willin'' to take the gamble on this old man''s story, I will guide ye through this fog to that there cave."

    ¡°Why would we need your help? You already pointed out the right spot on the map.¡±

    ¡°The fog in these parts is a crafty mistress. Plays tricks on the mind.¡± He leaned back and spinned his walking stick between his fingers. ¡°Shows ye things. Memories dredged up from the earth from yerself, and others. Before long¡­you¡¯ll lose more than your way.¡±

    ¡°And how will you find your way through the fog?¡±

    ¡°I have my methods.¡± Rudd said, tapping his stick to the wooden floor. His lantern hanging from the end rattled, and its flame flickered. ¡°Suffice to say, ye¡¯ll need one of ours to guide ye.¡±

    "Thanks." Rayza said, standing up and turning to leave. She then realized that all the other patrons were staring at her, as though they''d struck gold in an ancient depleted mine ¨C for how long, she wondered with a cold sweat. There was this odd sense of foreboding dread she just couldn''t shake ¨C both from Rudd''s tone of voice and their glistening eyes. She ¨C no, they needed to get out of here. Out of this town. "I''ll...we''ll consider your offer." Rayza said as she headed for the door.

    "Then we ride at dawn." Rudd said, laughing as she left the tavern.

    Ionyr sighed and leaned back in his chair. No matter how much he poured over these scrolls, he couldn''t find a single clue, nary a hint of this town''s existence. Granted, they hadn''t explored this part of Idyllis much ¨C but still, why couldn''t he find it on their backup map?

    Rayza''s father left her quite a few of them before his passing ¨C many of them as recent as they got. But he didn¡¯t recall seeing this town on any of them; and it was far too large and well-built for that to be the case. On top of it, their compass had been going crazy ever since they entered this fog, spinning like its life depended on it.

    He needed to sort his thoughts, he realised and took out his journal from his satchel. Flipping through it, Ionyr noticed just how long ago it had been since he wrote in it. To be fair, there hadn''t been much to write about. He took the dark, translucent pen attached to the last written page. Inside it, a thin, light blue line flickered to life.

    "Dark blue ink. Permanent." Ionyr said, and the line changed colour to dark blue. Very useful. One of Raev''s better inventions. It¡¯s been a while since their last contact, and Ionyr couldn¡¯t help but wonder how his old friend was doing. He should write a letter, he thought as he set the pen to paper ¨C Spirits know how deeply engrossed Raev gets into his experiments.

    I haven''t written in this journal for a while. Has it been six months, or eight? It was definitely before the first snow fell, but now the wind has turned warm again. Our expeditions had been so fruitless in the last seasons that I didn''t find anything worth writing about. Now, however, I can feel it ¨C the wind of change.

    Yes, the wind of change. He liked that. Had a poetic ring to it.

    It''s been fifteen years. Fifteen long years since Mother first told us of the Creators. Even after all those years of travelling, me and Rayza have found nary a hint as to their existence. This time, however, I sense an adventure on the horizon, one that might change everything. While trotting around the northeast of Idyllis, we stumbled into a great wall of fog. It crept up on us right around dusk, practically out of nowhere. We were lucky to happen across a small town before we got lost.

    What could be more suspicious than people living in the middle of nowhere? It is a small community, yet they strike me as incredibly odd. Those we greeted on our way in met us with a blank stare. Perhaps they don''t take well to outsiders, we thought. But in that case, why did they give the two of us a room in the inn without a fuss? And refused our coin on top of that. Unsurprisingly, we are the only patrons of said inn. I do wonder why they''re acting so...

    Ionyr lifted the pen for a moment. What was the right word? Their attitude was...as though they were hopeless¡­tired¡­crestfallen? They all fit, but it wasn''t what he was looking for. ''Distant'' was the best thing that came to mind. As though their minds were in a time and place far, far away from the here and now. He''d go with that.

    ...distant. It¡¯s like this whole town is living beneath a grey veil. The people are so cold, even to each other. I haven''t seen anyone exchange even a friendly hello, like each of them exist in their own little world. It baffles me that a community such as this can exist together.

    In all our expeditions, we haven''t seen anything like it. I can¡¯t shake this feeling, like there¡¯s something more to this town than meets the eye. Rayza has gone out to grab some supplies for our journey. Hopefully she finds something to prove me right. My nose is rarely off - and I need my curiosity sated.

    But¡­while I can sniff out adventures, her ability to smell danger is far superior. Rayza has expressed her dislike of this place more than once. I hope she¡¯s wrong this time, but that would be a first. She keeps telling me that I am too careless ¨C she may be right about that.

    The glow in his pen faded. Ionyr dipped it in his water flask on the table. It emanated the familiar light blue glow again shortly after. Truly marvellous, it was. Who knew that all those little gems that grew all over could be put to such use? Raev really was a genius - he could probably make a fortune off of these inventions. Ionyr wondered why he hadn¡¯t.

    As Ionyr gazed out the window, lightning flashed, illuminating the room. Rayza...he hoped she was alright. He knew she could handle herself, but he still felt a pang of anxiety every time she headed out on her own. In their first few outings, he would go after her if she¡¯d left for barely half an hour. Eventually, she told him off for being too overbearing, and so they struck a deal that he would only look for her if she was gone for more than an hour.

    Sighing, he decided to stop writing and sat down on his bed, taking out a large tome from his satchel. A good story should take his mind off things. He flipped through the pages, passing by many of the legends his mother had told him. The legend of King Firemane. The four great Spirits of Nature. The many minor spirits of the land. Finally, he smiled and stopped when he came across his favourite ¨C the Tall Tale of Captain Jolly Roger and the Sea Monkeys.

    How often had he heard this story, Ionyr wondered. He never got tired of it, no matter how often he heard it. His mother must''ve gotten sick of telling it, surely, he thought as he chuckled to himself. Just the idea of a band of pirate monkeys sailing around the Isles and causing mischief was enough to make him laugh ¨C between riding cannonballs in their ship raids, stealing a town''s fruit supply, and holding lavish feasts after every adventure, here was no moral or grand ambition to be found in this legend, just simple, mindless fun. A legacy to be remembered.

    Ionyr found some degree of solace in it. Those times he, Ielus and their mother laughed at the many silly acts the Monkeys pulled...those times they made up their own stories to make each other laugh even more...those times were treasured memories now. He sighed and dropped onto the bed, his thoughts drifting to his brother.

    He never had been the same since mother passed. Ionyr couldn''t help but worry about him ¨C shortly after his and Rayza''s wedding, Ielus announced that he was going his own way and left to join the Ashen Order as a scholar. Ever since, Ionyr''s letters were met with fewer and fewer answers. The last time he got one must''ve been more than two winters ago.

    He was shaken from his thoughts by a familiar knock on the door. It was their secret knock, from when they were children.

    "Come in." Ionyr said, getting up and rubbing his eyes with a smile. A figure wearing a brown cloak entered, a wet leather hood covering her face. She took off her hood, revealing her long blonde hair, tied into a high ponytail that extended past her neck into her cloak. After untying it in a swift motion, she swung her head, causing droplets of the rain to fly off it. Her long, straight and now very messy hair ran down to her mid back. God, she was beautiful, he thought as Rayza let out a relieved sigh and ran her fingers through her hair.

    "How did it go?" Ionyr asked his wife as she dropped off the wet cloak on the ground, revealing the vest and pants that so tightly hugged her curves. They were completely dry. Looks like that merchant had told the truth about that cloak after all ¨C it really must be of Northern make, with how well it warded off the horrible weather. Still soaked on the outside, though. A half-truth, maybe.

    Without answering his question, she hasted over to his side. Dropping herself onto the bed beside him, she rested her wet head on his shoulder and wrapped her arm around him, seeking the comfort of his embrace. He responded in kind, wrapping his hand around her, and immediately noticing her shivering. Was she cold? Ionyr quickly began rubbing her back to warm her up, but she stopped him with a hand on his chest.

    "I''m not cold." Rayza said, although she was still shivering. He noticed her glancing at the door, with a tight grip on the dagger in her thigh strap.

    "What happened?" He asked, concerned, but she shushed him again. She was staring intently at the door, as though waiting for something. When nothing happened, she slowly stood up and snuck up to the rickety door, holding her ear against it ¨C listening for something. After a while of hearing nothing, Rayza beckoned him over to the table with their maps. She''d found something, Ionyr was certain of it.

    ¡°Keep your voice down.¡± She whispered as he sat down. ¡°These people can''t be trusted.¡±

    ¡°Why? What happened?¡± He quietly asked as she rolled open her father¡¯s map.

    ¡°I met an old storyteller. And before you ask, yes, he had something interesting up his sleeve.¡± He grinned widely.

    ¡°See? Told you there was more to this town.¡± Rayza shook her head angrily.

    ¡°I said the same thing, and still do. That storyteller¡­he knew things he shouldn¡¯t. And didn¡¯t know things he should.¡± Ionyr furrowed his eyebrow.

    ¡°Like what?¡± She tapped on the map.

    ¡°This map is around ten years old. That means it¡¯s as new as it gets, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­what¡¯s your point?¡±

    ¡°Just how would you confuse a valley with a bay?¡± He was taken aback. Furrowing his eyebrow, Ionyr scratched his chin.

    ¡°That is suspicious. No one should confuse those two.¡± Ionyr hummed. ¡°Maybe he doesn¡¯t know how to read a map and never left town? Who knows. Anyway, what¡¯s so special about that valley?¡± Rayza sighed.

    ¡°Spirits help me. I know if I tell you, there¡¯ll be no stopping you.¡± He leaned in close.

    ¡°You¡¯re saying there¡¯s something good there. No, something great even.¡± His eyes must be giving away his excitement - he could see the exasperation in Rayza¡¯s.

    ¡°A Star.¡± She then filled him in on everything - the tale of Two Stars fallen to Earth. The Creators¡¯ final masterpieces. The more he heard, the giddier he got. When she finally concluded the story by pointing out the supposed cave¡¯s location on the map, he shot up.

    ¡°We ride at dawn.¡± Her eyes went wide.

    ¡°No!¡± Rayza suddenly shouted, shooting up out of her chair. He froze, and so did she, glancing at the door again. Sighing, she sat back down and buried her head in her palms. ¡°He knew you would say that. Somehow, he knew.¡±

    ¡°Who did? The storyteller?¡± She nodded.

    "He also offered to lead us there himself."

    "What a nice fella." Ionyr said, placing his hand on her back. "You think it¡¯s a trap."

    "I do. This whole story is too convenient." Rayza was trembling - he¡¯d rarely seen her like this. He scooted over and pulled her into a hug, soothingly stroking her hair.

    "We''re two simple travellers. What could they possibly stand to gain?"

    "Some people don''t need personal gain to motivate them. Some just want to inflict suffering for its own sake." Her voice was trembling, too. The last time he¡¯d seen her like this was during her father¡¯s murder. He¡¯d held her this same way, too.

    ¡°Rayza, look at me.¡± She looked up, and met his concerned gaze with her beautiful blue eyes. Ionyr pressed his lips to her forehead. ¡°It will be fine. Think about all we¡¯ve been through. How many dangers have we braved at the smallest sign that we might find anything on the Creators?¡±

    ¡°But this is different.¡± She said, gripping onto his shirt tightly, her fingers digging into the skin beneath. ¡°There is something wrong here. Deeply wrong. If we stay here¡­the danger is too great. I can feel it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Something is wrong with this town.¡± Rayza¡¯s eyes lit up with hope.

    ¡°So you agree? We should -¡±

    ¡°Stay and explore, yes.¡± It was immediately crushed.

    ¡°No!¡± Rayza shouted and punched him. ¡°You will - no, we will die! There are no take backs! Don¡¯t do this!¡±

    ¡°We might. We might not. In that, it is the same as our other expeditions.¡± He caught her wrist and pulled her close. ¡°But the fact that something is wrong here shows that this will not be like the other adventures. We don¡¯t have to hope to find something - we will find something. I know we will.¡±

    ¡°You said that about the other adventures, too.¡± She weakly retorted.

    ¡°But I am sure of it this time.¡± He put his fingers under her chin and tilted up her head to face him. ¡°As sure as you are that the danger is greater than ever. That fact only strengthens my faith.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot, you know that?¡± Rayza said, tears in the corner of her eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m your idiot.¡± Ionyr said, placing a hand on her cheek. She couldn¡¯t help but crack a smile before their lips met. As they parted, he pulled away to gaze into those beautiful, sky-blue eyes, the ones he fell in love with so long ago. They say eyes were the window to the soul - what he saw in them was the same passion and care he carried for her. Wherever he went, she went, and the reverse was true all the same.

    They leaned in for another kiss almost simultaneously. While their tongues wrestled, he picked her up and carried her to their bed. As he lowered her onto the mattress, she looked at him longingly. Ionyr slowly, deliberately removed his hands from under her. Her anticipation was building - she was biting her lip.

    He then unceremoniously dropped onto the bed beside her. There was a brief silence.

    "I''m tired too, you know." He said, and closed his eyes. Ionyr didn''t need to see her bewildered expression to know it was there. "You were expecting something more, weren''t you?" He joked, before receiving a sharp jab to his side. Worth it.

    "Jerk." He laughed.

    "You''re cute when you''re angry."

    "Shut up." Rayza snapped back. Nevertheless, after a short silence, he felt her arm wrap around his chest. He put his arm around her shoulder in turn, pulling her close. "I love you." He heard her say. Opening his eyes, he found her looking up at him expectantly.

    "I just can''t say no to those eyes." He thought as he leaned in for another go. Pulling back, he ran a finger over her lower lip.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He whispered into Rayza¡¯s ear. ¡°I know you¡¯ve been aching to try again for a while. You¡¯ve sacrificed so much for my dream - I¡¯d be a horrible husband if I didn¡¯t do the same for you.¡±

    ¡°You better.¡± She whispered back before jumping on top of him and kissing him passionately.

    Thankfully, the night was young - plenty of time before dawn. Plenty of time to make her dream of a family come true.

 Chapter 2 - Shrouded in the Fog of History

    ¡°It¡¯s dawn. Wake up.¡±

    Ionyr was stirred from his sleep by a light green glow, as well as his own voice echoing in his ear. While his body was struggling a little to wake, his mind was clear and focused. Rayza really put him through the ringer last night. Not that he wasn¡¯t used to it - though this time in particular, she was rougher than usual. Like she was trying to drown her fear in passion.

    She was sleeping with her head on his chest - with the room being so dark, Rayza¡¯s soft breathing was the only thing calming his nerves. Try as he may to act strong for her, he also feared for their safety - mostly hers. With his arm already wrapped around her, he pulled her closer and tenderly rubbed her bare shoulder. She quietly moaned and slung her own arm over him. Ionyr couldn¡¯t help but crack a smile.

    Whatever did he do to deserve such a beautiful, loving wife? All he did was run around like a mad dog, chasing any faint scent of adventure. If it weren¡¯t for Rayza, he would¡¯ve given up a long, long time ago - perhaps even before they got married. Whenever his belief in his dream began to crumble, it was her that reignited that spark.

    When they got wed, they promised to share everything, even their dreams. Ionyr¡¯s was chasing a myth, hers was to have a child. That night was the first of many that he tried to make hers real - to no avail. One day while travelling, they met an apothecary who was knowledgeable on the subject. He examined them both and confirmed their worst fears. Ionyr had a rare disease which made his chances of reproducing slim to none. Emphasis on none.

    He had been devastated. Knowing that he couldn¡¯t fulfil her one and only dream destroyed him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind if you leave me. Find a man who can make your dream come true.¡± He¡¯d said back then. The sting of her slap that followed stuck with him until today.

    ¡°Being with you is my dream. Idiot.¡± She¡¯d responded with teary eyes. ¡°He said slim to none. I will believe in that slim chance. The same way you believe in the existence of the Creators.¡±

    That night was particularly passionate. It¡¯s been seven years since then¡­crazy how fast time passes. And yet, neither Rayza¡¯s nor Ionyr¡¯s dream were any closer to reality. Despite it all, she never gave up - on him, his dream and that tiny sliver of hope for her own.

    ¡°Truly, what have I done to deserve this woman?¡± Ionyr wondered as he slowly leaned in to give her a goodmorning kiss. ¡°How could I possibly repay her? All I have is my dream, the hope she gave me, and the love I hold in my heart for her.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s dawn. Wake up.¡±

    Ionyr sighed as his voice¡¯s echo sounded again. Much as he¡¯d like to enjoy her sweet embrace a little longer, adventure was calling. He stood up and cracked his back, wincing as the soreness of his hips caught up to him, reaching over to the nightstand to grab the small, glowing gadget - the echo¡¯s origin.

    ¡°I¡¯m awake.¡± He said to it, and the green light faded. Another one of Raev¡¯s inventions - the Get-¡¯em-up, he called it. It stored the voice of the one activating it, and sounded it at the specified time. Would be nice if Raev used it to get ¡®imself to write. Ionyr sighed and lightly shook Rayza, who groaned and flipped over onto her side.

    ¡°Just a little longer.¡± She mumbled, making him chortle. He slid off the blanket covering her, and in her groggy half-sleep, she tried to resist. It was futile - he pulled off the blanket and threw it on the floor. She groaned and curled into a ball. Chuckling, he got up and headed for the window. Small shimmers of light filtered through the blinds. Ionyr swung them open, revealing the light of dawn, filtered through the milky white fog. It was still so thick he could see his reflection in the window.

    His dark brown beard had grown out of hand - whereas he only had a short goatee on their last stop, his cheeks and neck were now completely covered in hair. He needed to shave when they got back home - while it did go well with his thick nose and square face, he disliked how itchy it got. Also, people tended to think him older than he actually was - to Rayza¡¯s amusement and his chagrin.

    ¡°Time to get up.¡± Ionyr said as he turned around, grinning. ¡°We got an adventure with our name on it.¡±

    ¡°Jerk.¡± Rayza sat up, yawning. He picked up her clothes which were strewn on the floor, and handed them to her, whilst letting his eyes trail along her exposed curves. ¡°I can see you staring.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t a man enjoy the perks of marriage?¡± Ionyr said cheekily. She rolled her eyes and threw his own clothes in his face before slipping on her shirt.

    ¡°Hurry up before I deck you.¡± He laughed and started getting dressed. She was so cute when she got angry. Seeing her usually sharp features with that pouty expression and puffed cheeks was hilarious to him.

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± He just couldn¡¯t help himself.

    ¡°Piss off.¡± She was so easy to tease. Even easier in the morning hours.

    Living their nomadic lifestyle had gotten them used to irregular sleep schedules, so despite having such little time to rest, they were ready to go within minutes.

    ¡°Packed everything?¡± Rayza asked, yawning as she tied her hair into her signature ponytail.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Ionyr said, dropping the Get-¡¯em-up into his satchel. ¡°You got the maps, right?¡±

    ¡°Everything you took out.¡± She patted her satchel. ¡°I doubt we¡¯d see anything again if we left it here. Anything else we¡¯re missing?¡±

    ¡°Raev¡¯s gadgets are where they belong. Our notes too. I suppose that¡¯s everything.¡± Ionyr stood up and threw his knapsack with said gadgets and notes on his back.

    ¡°Right then, let¡¯s go.¡± Rayza said, having lazily tied her boots as he opened the door.

    The innkeeper had laid out a small meal for them on the counter ¨C basic bread and vegetable stew. Ionyr didn¡¯t expect much from it, but was somehow still disappointed. The bread was stale and chewy, and the stew was watery and bland. So bland in fact, that the staleness of the bread actually provided a richer taste.

    Going off of Rayza¡¯s expression, she shared his opinion - she had to wash it down more than once. They quickly finished their meal and handed the owner their dishes, as well as three silver coins. Two for their room, and one for the meal. Yet, the woman refused - just like the night before.

    "Keep your money." She said grimly. "It has no value to me." Confused, Ionyr pocketed the coins as she gently took the lantern hanging above the counter. She made a few steps back, disappearing into the shadowy backroom. Only her face, illuminated by the dull red glow of the lantern, remained visible. "Now begone with ye. And please don¡¯t come back.¡±

    Her tone left no room for argument. As they turned to leave, Ionyr couldn''t help but wonder whether that lantern was powered by a gem, like Raev¡¯s. How else would it create that red glow? But how did the innkeeper get a hold of one? Only Raev and the two of them knew of their uses, no? He felt a tug at his arm, pushing those thoughts aside.

    "I might be wrong on this, but..." Rayza said, pensively twirling a strand of her blonde hair between her fingers. "I think she was trying to warn us."

    "Warn us? What makes you say that?"

    "Her voice...she sounded guilty¡­.almost regretful." She thought aloud. "Whatever it was, it makes this whole thing seem even fishier."

    ¡°I know what you¡¯re trying to say.¡± Ionyr met her worried gaze, and squeezed her hand to reassure her. ¡°But without taking risks, we won¡¯t get anywhere.¡±

    Rayza pursed her lips, glancing back at the dark, empty counter. It was dead silent in the inn.

    ¡°Just promise me that if it gets too dangerous¡­¡±

    ¡°We run. Obviously.¡± He said, opening the door. The thick fog began spilling into the inn, covering the air in a thin white veil.

    ¡°What a lovely day.¡± Rayza said sarcastically. He chuckled and led the way to the stable beside the inn. Their horses were incredibly happy to see them, loudly neighing and struggling against their bindings. It took the two of them a while to calm them down. ¡°See, even they know something¡¯s off.¡±

    ¡°I just think they missed us. Ain¡¯t that right, Archie?¡± He stroked his steed¡¯s snout, who snorted approvingly and stomped his hoof. ¡°See? He¡¯s fine.¡± Ionyr didn¡¯t have to look to know that Rayza was rolling her eyes. After fastening their bags to the saddles, they hopped on and began trotting toward the tavern.

    Despite, or maybe precisely because of yesterday¡¯s storm, there was no wind this morning, causing the mist to have grown even thicker. As they followed the road leading to the tavern, they noticed a distant purple light weakly piercing through the haze. Ionyr wasn¡¯t sure, but with the light as a reference point, it appeared as though the fog was constantly shifting - despite the air being completely still.

    When they came into throwing distance of the light, it turned out to be the purple glow of a lantern on the end of a stick. The man holding it was sitting in a rocking chair, smoking a pipe - their guide, he presumed.

    ¡°Rudd.¡± Rayza said, moving her horse a little closer to Ionyr¡¯s.

    The man took a long inhale of his pipe, exhaling smoke that appeared pitch black against the white fog. Chuckling, he stood up and limped over with a lean on his stick. As he stood before their horses, the old man gave him a look over, then turned to Rayza.

    "So, this is him, eh? Your husband?" She nodded.

    ¡°We discussed your offer.¡± She paused. ¡°And we accept.¡± His lips curved upward, revealing his full set of perfectly white teeth.

    "Heh. What did I say again? ¡®We ride at dawn.¡¯, I believe." He laughed, his belly shaking and lantern rattling with every movement.

    ¡°It¡¯s not exactly dawn yet.¡± She rebuked with a rather harsh tone.

    ¡°Ah, not a morning person, I see. Spoilsport.¡± Rudd composed himself, though still in good spirits, and whistled sharply. An old, grey horse slowly trotted around the side of the tavern. Despite looking ancient and withered, its movements were fluid and full of energy.

    Their two horses instinctively took a step back as it stopped before them - as though they sensed that there was something wrong about that horse. The old man patted its side, as if shaking off the dust from an old toy, and hopped on.

    "Let''s get this out the way first.'''' He said, trotting up beside Ionyr. "As you probably know, the name¡¯s Rudd."

    "Mine''s Ionyr. It''s a pleasure." Ionyr held out his hand for a shake, and Rudd briefly stared at it. The lantern''s light intensified, briefly flickering with a stronger blue hue. As he took Ionyr''s hand, it went back to its usual - or rather, unusual purple glow. Fascinating, Ionyr thought. He¡¯d have to find out more about that flame later.

    "A pleasure." He let go and took another long inhale from his pipe. "A word of caution before we set off. The fog in these parts is known to play tricks on the mind. It will show you echoes of the past to lead you astray. Do not trust all you see and hear." Rudd puffed out another cloud of smoke, which melted and vanished into the fog - far quicker than it should. Turning his horse around, he raised his lantern up high. "But it can''t produce light. Follow the glow of my lantern, lest you lose yourself." He spurred his horse into a slow trot. Ionyr and Rayza exchanged a brief glance.

    "Now I know why you were so suspicious." He whispered, making sure the old man couldn''t hear him.

    "Creepy, isn''t he?" She shuddered, with an almost disgusted expression.

    "Yeah, something¡¯s off about him. You said he made a pass at you, right?" She nodded.

    "Yeah."

    "He probably didn''t know you were married."

    "He did - and I never even showed him my ring." Her hand drifted onto the comforting hilt of her dagger.

    "That¡­is odd. Did he ever explain how he knew?" Rayza gave him an annoyed glance."Right. If he did, you wouldn¡¯t be so suspicious of him."

    "I¡¯ll trust him for now - if it means getting through the fog. But I won¡¯t be letting go of my dagger."

    "Good." He whispered back. "I¡¯ll be watching your back in turn."

    ¡°Already falling behind? We won¡¯t make it far at this rate, lovebirds.¡± Rudd had stopped just a stone¡¯s throw ahead.

    ¡°Shut it, geezer. We¡¯re coming¡± Rayza yelled back before trotting after the storyteller. But she was a little more at ease now, Ionyr noticed. Seeing that her grip on the dagger had loosened slightly, Ionyr spurred his horse into the same slow trot with a smile.

    ¡°...yr¡­¡± That voice! He whipped his head around. But no one was there. Strange, he could¡¯ve sworn he heard¡­no, it can¡¯t be. Shaking his head and putting those thoughts aside, he turned to follow the others.

    <hr>

    Their trek was silent ¨C eerily silent. Besides the rattling of the lantern and the thumping of the hooves on dirt, there was no sound at all. It was as though the fog was swallowing not just their sight, but their voice and hearing too. Ionyr pat his horse''s neck, who was becoming increasingly nervous. Just how long had they been following Rudd? There was no sun or birdsong to indicate the time.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    He shot a glance at Rayza, who was doing her best to keep her horse calm too. Her expression was stoic, but he could see right through it - she was herself growing nervous. Leading his horse closer to her, he held out his right hand. She quickly seized the opportunity, grabbing his hand and holding it tightly.

    "It will be alright." He mouthed, giving her a comforting smile.

    "I hope so." She replied in kind. Suddenly, her grip on his hand tightened. Ionyr immediately got closer, concerned.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He froze. Her eyes were wide, her lips trembling. Something was wrong, terribly so - last time he saw her in this state was¡­

    ¡°Rayza, what¡¯s wrong?¡± He repeated.

    ¡°No¡­not this¡­¡± She muttered, shutting her eyes and dropping her head. ¡°I can hear it¡­not again¡­¡±

    ¡°Hear what? Rayza, answer me!¡± Once Ionyr realised that he wasn¡¯t getting an answer, he turned forward. ¡°Rudd! Something¡¯s wrong!¡± But Rudd didn¡¯t respond. He simply kept trotting onward, his lantern¡¯s light guiding the way. ¡°Rudd! Wait, damn it!¡±

    ¡°Ionyr¡­¡± He stopped shouting. That voice - echoing and cloudy though it may be, it was still all too familiar. He turned to look to his left. There she was. Sitting in that bed. Even in this fog, her image was clear as could be - that was his mother¡¯s face. It was really her.

    ¡°Mom¡­?¡± He muttered. She looked exactly like he remembered, on that day - the day after his wedding. ¡°No. This can¡¯t be. You¡¯re¡­¡±

    ¡°Ionyr¡­and Ielus¡­who is that?¡± He soberly shook his head.

    ¡°Mom¡­¡± Sombre, he gazed at her tired eyes. Just like all those times she told him bedtime stories. But just like that day, they were empty, devoid of the person that once lived in that body. ¡°You¡¯re dead. Did you forget?¡±

    Her form dissipated into mist, melding and shifting inside the fog.

    ¡°Brother¡­she¡¯s gone.¡± Another familiar voice. To this day, Ionyr didn¡¯t know how to respond to that.

    ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s gone, Ielus.¡± He faced the hazy, sombre figure of his brother floating before him. The spitting image of him on that very same day, sitting in that chair opposite him - his slim frame, brown hair, protruding cheekbones and a light stubble beneath his nose were unmistakable.

    ¡°She didn¡¯t even remember us.¡± He mumbled.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Ionyr said quietly.

    ¡°Are we that forgettable? That our own mother wasn¡¯t able to remember us?¡± Ionyr shook his head violently.

    ¡°Never say that. Mom never wanted to forget us. The sickness made her forget!¡± Those words felt like they came from the man he was that day. Had he grown so little? That he would repeat the exact same words and actions from a time so far in the past?

    ¡°So you say¡­but is it not our fate to be forgotten someday, brother? One day, the last person remembering us will fade from this world¡­and our memory¡­our legacy with it.¡± Ionyr never forgot those words. The fate of men is to be forgotten.

    ¡°Mom keeps living through us, Ielus. If we impart her story to the next generation, then¡­¡±A weak rebuttal, and he knew it.

    ¡°That is not enough. Her story will be diluted through all those retellings - the original meaning, and her spirit that it carries, it will all be lost. I wish to create a legacy everlasting. An imprint onto history so deep that it cannot be forgotten, no matter how strong history wishes to bury it.¡±

    Even to this day, Ielus¡¯ dream inspired him. It was a grand ambition - one that even surpassed Ionyr¡¯s in scale. He had always admired that about his brother, that he¡¯d never let go of that childish spark of wonder, always believing himself to be this generation¡¯s storied hero.

    ¡°I am leaving, brother. I shall pave my own way, with the Order. Give Rayza¡­your wife my regards. Farewell.¡± Ionyr heard the creaking sound of an opening door.

    ¡°See you soon, Ielus.¡± He said as the door shut. The figure of Ielus dissipated, and he was left alone in the mist.

    ¡­alone? Drat! When did he let go of Rayza¡¯s hand? He was so caught up in his memories that he lost his focus. Where was the light, he thought, desperately looking around for its purple glow. He needed to find it - and more importantly, find Rayza. Where? Where was it? Once his eyes caught the tiniest hint of purple, he¡¯d immediately go for it. But he didn¡¯t. Instead¡­

    ¡°NO!¡± He heard a cry - Rayza¡¯s voice. It didn¡¯t sound like the fog¡¯s illusions - it was really her. He instantly turned toward it and galloped toward it. If he was seeing these memories¡­then she must be¡­he shook his head. Not the time. On his way, he passed multiple other mirages - they were becoming harder and harder to tell from reality. Some of them looked like real people. Their mutterings muddled his already chaotic mind, almost drowning out the sounds of her cries.

    ¡°You are to be executed for treason against the Ashen Order.¡± It was that memory after all. ¡°Know that nothing can spare you from this fate.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch him¡­don¡¯t touch him¡­!¡± Ionyr just barely caught her broken whispers. The fog was so thick he almost galloped right past her. Rayza was hunched over in her saddle, holding her ears shut, trying to block out the sounds of that dreadful event. He immediately turned around and rode up to her side, pulling her into his arms.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­I¡¯m here.¡± He whispered, but she didn¡¯t budge an inch.

    ¡°Why¡­why does it still hurt so bad¡­I thought I got over it¡­¡± It was like she returned to being that scared child once again, whimpering and sobbing.

    ¡°Boy, look after my daughter. And Rayza¡­farewell. I¡¯m sorry for being such a lousy father.¡± Ionyr remembered those words - he never, ever forgot them. The old man¡¯s figure was smiling at them, before closing his eyes and accepting his fate. Rayza knew what was coming, and so did Ionyr. She suddenly shot up and tried to reach for her father¡¯s hazy silhouette.

    ¡°Let my Daddy go!¡± Rayza shouted, but the sounds of crossbows firing completely eclipsed her desperate cries. The bolts whizzed through the air and hit soft flesh. The old man cried out in pain. She tried to wrestle out of Ionyr¡¯s arms. But he refused to let her go - lest she run after mirages and be lost forever. She screamed and yelled as the ghostly figures reloaded and fired again. The old man gasped as his flesh was pierced again.

    ¡°Please¡­stop it¡­¡± She whispered, but they reloaded once more before firing again. Rayza, reduced to a sobbing mess, let herself fall into Ionyr¡¯s arms, clinging tightly to him whilst quietly pleading for her nightmare to end.

    This, too, was exactly how it had transpired all those years ago - were they bound to being the same person all their life? Was it impossible to grow past these events? He grit his teeth. Even today, all he could do was stroke her head in a pathetic attempt to console her. All the while hating the fact that there was nothing else he could do. If only he could take her pain away and carry it himself.

    He¡¯d sworn to look after her, both to the old drunkard and at their wedding - but he couldn¡¯t suppress a feeling of guilt for dragging her into this adventure and putting her through so much distress. As the memory faded and the echoes of the crossbows with it, her sobs began to subside and she pulled out of his embrace.

    ¡°Thanks.¡± Rayza said, wiping away her tears. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to see me like that.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be. Seriously, don¡¯t.¡± Ionyr said sternly. ¡°We seem to have bigger problems, anyway.¡± He looked around, and sure enough, the light of the lantern was nowhere to be found. ¡°Rudd wasn¡¯t kidding. This fog is dangerous.¡± Grabbing the reins of their horses, he tied them together. ¡°This way, we won¡¯t be separated.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± She mumbled quietly, reaching for his hand. He took it and gently stroked it. ¡°What now?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be alright. I won¡¯t leave your side again.¡± He said with a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s try to find a way out. Definitely beats sitting here twiddling our thumbs.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± She nodded and gripped his hand tightly. They spurred their horses onward into a slow trot. How long had they even been in this place? One hour? Two? Half a day? It was impossible to tell. No landmarks to go by, no birdsong to tell, much less a sun to go off of.

    Ionyr had never seen anything like this - an immovable wall of fog that lasted for this long. On top of that, old memories were being dug up and shown to them so vividly¡­there was something almost magical about this place. It was straight out of a fairytale. And yet, the situation only served to strengthen Ionyr¡¯s resolve.

    He was certain now - there was something special about this adventure. Rudd¡¯s story about the Stars¡­it had to be true, partially at the very least. There was no way an area like this had no ties to the Creators at all. They were on the trail of something big. He could smell it.

    "¡¯Not alive enough¡¯, huh...? I will show you ¡®alive¡¯!" Another of the fog¡¯s illusions. Rayza immediately rode closer to him. The shape of a man appeared at her side, coloured a bright crimson red. He was desperately hammering away at what looked like an unfinished sculpture, but disappeared as quickly as he showed up.

    Before Ionyr could process what happened, he heard another voice muttering. A different figure, this time a deep green with tinges of blue appeared beside him. Another man, wearing the clothes of an apothecary, his head buried in his hands.

    "No, no, no. We can''t lose another. Too many lie dead already. A miracle - we need a miracle." He vanished into the mist, quick as he came. These weren¡¯t their memories. In fact, the voices of those figures belonged to entirely different people. Whose memories were they?

    "You can''t do this to me!" That yell came from above. He turned up his head to find a new figure, coloured a vivid red, tinged blue, floating high above the ground. An unseen group of men began wickedly laughing and chanting, accompanied by the sounds of creaking wood and splashing waves. Ionyr could make out a single intelligible sentence through all the noise.

    "Make that bastard walk the plank!" It didn''t take long before someone followed through on that idea and shoved the figure overboard. Screaming as he fell, the man landed in front of them with a loud splash. As though submerged in water, he slipped right through the ground before coming back up, gasping for air.

    "Curse ye traitors! May the sea swallow ye whole!" The mirage yelled after an unseen ship. As the laughter became more distant so too did the figure''s voice lower into a raspy, vengeful growl before dispersing back into the fog. "They shall rue this day. The day they crossed¡­"

    "Ionyr!" Rayza shouted, overshadowing the mirage¡¯s echoey voice. She was pointing to her right. "The light!" He could see it too. There it was, the familiar purple glow of the lantern. Ionyr quickly turned their horses and rode after it - lest it disappear into the mist once again.

    ¡°Rudd!¡± He yelled as he drew closer, but there was no response. The lantern remained still, as did Rudd¡¯s silhouette beneath. They had to be in earshot. He called out again, but again, neither a response, nor a reaction. Once they were close enough, they slowed their horses into a slow trot, until Ionyr was right beside the old storyteller. ¡°Rudd.¡± He repeated.

    ¡°Hrm?¡± Rudd turned to face him, his face contorted into an angry grimace. It instantly relaxed when he laid eyes on the two of them, like he¡¯d awoken from a long nightmare. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you two. I apologise, how long have I kept you waiting?¡±

    ¡°No need to apologise, old chap.¡± Ionyr pat him on the back, smiling weakly. This had already been an exhausting day. ¡°We got lost in this mist as well. It¡¯s a stroke of luck that our paths happened to cross again. Thank the Spirits for that lantern of yours.¡±

    ¡°The lantern, huh?¡± Rudd shot a sombre glance at it. ¡°Yes, I suppose we should thank the Spirits for it.¡± He paused, before grinning, albeit not as widely as he usually did. ¡°Anyway, let us continue. It is not much farther from here.¡±

    He spurred his horse into a slow trot, and they followed close behind. Many questions ran through Ionyr¡¯s mind. What was it that Rudd saw? Why was he in such a dark mood all of a sudden? His curiosity was piqued. He wanted to know more about this old man. Especially that lantern.

    ¡°Say, lad. What possessed you to search for the Creators?¡± Rudd asked out of the blue, as though he¡¯d known that Ionyr wanted to speak with him.

    ¡°Good question.¡± He crossed his arms. ¡°I suppose because of the story my mother told me as a child. It piqued my curiosity. I needed answers. I needed to know if they really exist - and I guess in a bigger picture, whether all those legends she told me were true in general.¡± Rudd laughed.

    ¡°A real dreamer, I see. Good, we need more of those.¡± He paused again. ¡°Besides the story of the Creators, which others would you like to be true?¡±

    ¡°The Tall Tale of the Sea Monkeys.¡± Ionyr said without hesitation. ¡°It¡¯s my favourite.¡±

    ¡°Your favourite, huh¡­¡± Rudd seemed a little taken aback. ¡°I¡¯m surprised it survived in the outside world. Never thought that story to be a particularly memorable one. It¡¯s not one of the greats like King Firemane or the Spirits of Nature.¡±

    ¡°I loved the idea of a bunch of rambunctious monkeys terrorising the coast of the Isles. Their carefree nature inspired me to enjoy the little things in life. Good food. Fun games. Brotherhood. It defined my childhood, really.¡± Ionyr couldn¡¯t stop himself from rambling. He went on and on and on. The others barely had any time to interject before he finished his long rant. Rudd sat silent for a moment, processing everything he just had thrown at him.

    ¡°You¡¯re an interesting man, Ionyr.¡± He laughed. ¡°I suppose there is some value to that silly tale after all.¡± He turned around and grinned. ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve got some good news. The fog¡¯s finally clearing up.¡±

    As he spoke those words, there was a sudden flash of light. Ionyr heard Rayza yelping in surprise, so he quickly grabbed her hand. She squeezed it tightly. When he tried opening his eyes, he instinctively shut them again. It was just too bright for him to see. It took a good while and lots of blinking, but his eyes did eventually adjust. He could finally take in the scenery.

    Glancing behind him, Ionyr could see the massive wall of fog stretching up to the sky - like a massive dome placed on the plains. They were riding dangerously close to a steep drop. If they were just a little further to the right, they would be tumbling down the valley. It was almost entirely covered in grass - grey grass. On the other side of the valley, a great ravine extended into the distance. At the bottom, Ionyr could make out a small dark stain, with a few black protrusions thrusting skyward. Rudd stopped his horse, seemingly unfazed by the bright sunlight, and motioned over to the right.

    "Welcome to Star''s Landing." Rudd said, having another inhale of his pipe. "This is the place where the Star of the East fell - or so the legend goes."

    "What¡¯s that? It looks¡­ominous." Rayza asked, pointing at the dark pool at the centre of the crater.

    "That, friends, is a swamp. Those pointy things are dead trees. There used to be a great bay here, as I told you. But as you see¡­" He gestured towards the swamp. "This is all that is left of that."

    "I''ve never seen a swamp with dead trees before." Ionyr said, making a mental note to investigate this once they returned home. "You said there used to be a bay here?"

    "Yeah. I still have an old map in my home, where this entire crater is filled with water." Rudd pointed at the ravine in the distance. "That used to be a river for ships to pass through. Apparently."

    That explains why Rudd had confused it yesterday. He got off his horse.

    "Let''s set up camp. The cave is not far from here." Ionyr nodded, his mind filling with ever growing curiosity. Rudd was like a treasure trove of legends and history - he¡¯d like to pick his brain a little further. As he tied their horses to the trees nearby, he heard Rayza strike up a conversation with the old man.

    "You really enjoy smoking that pipe, huh?" She had gotten over the traumatic vision, it seemed. Rudd nodded.

    "Yes. It reminds me of the good old days." He said, holding it up as if trying to bathe it in the sunlight. "But those times are long past." He finished somberly, and put the pipe in his breast pocket.

    "I...see." Rayza said slowly. Before the air could get awkward, she quickly switched topics. "So, about this cave¡­what should we expect? What kind of dangers lurk in there?" Thank you, Ionyr thought, you beautiful, beautiful woman. As always, his wife knew exactly what answers he craved. Unfortunately, Rudd shook his head and sat down, leaning against a tree.

    "Don¡¯t know. Never set foot in there. Not in this lifetime at the very least, and I know none who have." His ever unsatisfying answers only bolstered Ionyr¡¯s rabid curiosity. He needed answers, and he needed them now.

    "So how do we even know if the Star is in there?" Rudd shrugged.

    "Listen, I don''t have all the answers you seek. I don¡¯t know what I don¡¯t know. These are things you must find out for yourself." Another unsatisfying answer. So frustrating! Ionyr could swear that beneath that hood, the old man was constantly concealing a cheeky smirk - was he having fun with these mind games? Rudd gestured past the trees, away from the crater.

    "Cave¡¯s that way, over yonder - it¡¯s the only place you''ll find your answers." Ionyr immediately grabbed his satchel.

    "I¡¯ll go and check it out! Rayza, follow me when you¡¯re ready." His wife tried to protest, but he was already darting off in the direction Rudd had pointed. The old man, laughed loudly at their antics.

    ¡°I''ll take care of our camp and the horses! Try to be back before the sun sets!" Rudd shouted after him. Ionyr turned around, running backwards toward the cave.

    "Thank you!" Ionyr shouted back. He could see Rayza giving her own thanks with a bow before hurrying after him, yelling at him to wait up. Rudd, meanwhile, simply lit his pipe, the smoke appearing pitch black against the clear blue sky, with the sun at its peak. Ionyr turned back around, dashing towards the cave - towards destiny.

    <hr>

    ¡°Please. Don¡¯t let the forgotten history repeat itself - not again.¡±

 Chapter 3 - In the dark

    Rayza ran after her husband, but as always, he was just too darn quick. She reached the cave long before she caught sight of Ionyr again. The entrance protruded from the ground like the head of a huge worm, its mouth wide open for incautious surface dwellers to walk right into. The rock was smooth, shining like one would expect the slimy insides of such a beast to be. All too ready to swallow whatever wandered into its trap.

    As she made her first step inside, something tiny and wet hit her neck. She spun around, but there was nothing there. Rayza¡¯s mind instinctively conjured up images of the cave salivating over its unwitting meal.

    No, no, she thought, shuddering as she violently shook her head. It had to be droplets of last night''s rain, she assured herself. Yet the sense of imminent danger never left, even as she entered to search for her husband. It felt like she was being watched ¨C closely.

    "Ionyr!" She shouted, the echoes running down the black tunnel. No response. Growing ever more worried, she hurried into the cave ¨C away from the light of day and further down the jaws of the abyss. Rayza''s only company was the haunting echo of her steps and the stench of damp dirt. Though the latter was slowly but surely fading as well.

    It was unsettling. Just how deep did this damn cave go? Usually, even the largest tunnels had a light air draft blowing through. In or out, she¡¯d experienced both on her travels. But in this cave, there was no wind - the air was unnaturally still. Something was off. She¡¯d felt it in the town, but here that ominous sense of foreboding had doubled, nearly tripled in its intensity. Her hands were trembling.

    ¡°Get a grip.¡± She mumbled to herself, continuing deeper into the abyss. ¡±This is no time for that.¡±

    Catching a small blip of red light ahead of her, she let out a sigh of relief. Thank goodness, he hadn¡¯t gone too deep, Rayza thought as she hurried toward it. As she got closer, she could eventually make out Ionyr¡¯s silhouette crouching near the wall. He was holding Raev¡¯s lantern, the red gem glowing softly from within.

    "Ionyr." She said as she stopped beside him. Leaning on his shoulder, she panted heavily, trying to catch her breath after her two long sprints. "I thought we agreed that you would stop running off like this."

    "Sorry. Couldn''t help myself." He said absent-mindedly. "Look at this." He pointed at the wall. "We''re in the right place."

    As Rayza inspected the wall, the frustration she felt toward his recklessness and the tension of the situation quickly gave way to a different emotion. She hadn''t felt like this for a long time - the last time might¡¯ve been their very first adventure together, when they were still children.

    There were engravings in the stone. Illuminated by the red glow of the lantern, they had an ancient, yet otherworldly look to them, completely beyond anything a human would create. Reaching out to trace the engravings, she felt like all their struggles, all this time, were in chase of this exact feeling. Running her hand over it gave her goosebumps ¨C it was real. This mural was truly real. Maybe this was her mind playing tricks on her, but it felt warm to the touch.

    The weathered engravings depicted a map of the current world ¨C the four lands, just as they knew them. Upon the Dead South was the massive crater from the legend of the Calamity, coloured entirely in black. But that same shape was also placed on the carving of the Western Isles and Idyllis.

    These craters, unlike the one to the south, were coloured red and blue, respectively. Not only that, but there was an odd symbol written upon these craters as well, which wasn¡¯t a part of any language spoken today¡­or ever, for that matter. She would know, she knew them all - thanks to her father¡¯s extensive library.

    "Wow..." Rayza grabbed the lantern, holding it higher to catch a glimpse of what else was engraved upon the stone. Unfortunately, the carving of the North was just out of her sight, even with her on her tiptoes.

    It didn¡¯t look like much more of this chunk had survived, anyhow - there was a crack right where the northern landmass of the Ashen Order began. The other walls around were smooth, illegible rock that had long since lost the history inscribed upon it.

    ¡°Dark blue. Permanent.¡° Ionyr said, followed by the sounds of scribbling. While he copied the image in the stone, she held the lantern in place for him.

    "Told you. My nose is never wrong." He said as he finished his copy.

    ¡°Fine, you were right about the cave.¡± She begrudgingly admitted. ¡°But there¡¯s something off here, I can feel it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not just you.¡± Ionyr packed the notebook into his satchel and slung it over his shoulder. "I can feel it too."

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    ¡°But you¡¯re not backing down, are you?¡± He grinned.

    ¡°Nope. I¡¯m getting goosebumps.¡± Ionyr said giddily. ¡°Now that we are this close, why stop?¡±

    ¡°Idiot.¡± Rayza sighed, but couldn¡¯t hold back a smile. He was her idiot, after all, chasing that dream of his at all cost. What else did she expect? It¡¯s why she fell in love with him to begin with. ¡°Whatever will I do with you?¡±

    ¡°After yesterday night, you¡¯ve done more than enough.¡± That cheeky prick.

    ¡°Good point, you should do more.¡± She thrust the lantern into his hand and motioned for him to lead the way. ¡°Go on, then.¡±

    Ionyr laughed and took her outstretched hand. As they went deeper, the tunnel began curving to the right. Slowly at first, then more and more. Were they going in a big circle around the crater? It certainly didn¡¯t help Rayza with those mental images of a snake coiling around its victim. The longer they walked, the more the darkness weighed upon them. A heavy blanket that muted all sounds, blinded their vision and stifled any lingering scent.

    Only the echo of their steps and the protective sphere of the lantern''s light shielded them from the pitch blackness. The floor was very uneven, with many small, almost bubble-like protrusions lining its dark grey surface. There were a few cracks here and there, likely from debris that had fallen from the ceiling. The ceiling, which itself looked like dripping...salivating...rock.

    "Say." Rayza said, sweating heavily. "Mind if I borrow your flask? Forgot to fill up mine."

    "Here you go." Ionyr handed her his flask.

    She thanked him and drank a hearty mouthful of water. "Is it just me, or has it gotten really warm in here?" She asked, panting heavily.

    Ionyr stopped in his tracks. Wiping his brow, he found his forehead full of sweat. "You''re right. Let me have some too."

    She handed him the flask. So it wasn¡¯t just Rayza¡¯s mind playing tricks on her - it was getting hotter the deeper they went. Much to her dismay, the sweat was starting to make them stink. As he sipped from it, Rayza leaned against the wall. She was surprised to find it noticeably warm. So that mural earlier really was warm. Confused, she kneeled down to check the floor. The instant she pressed her hand to the rock, she yelped and pulled it away.

    "Son of a - the floor¡¯s hot!" She said, taking off her glove, which gave off the smell of charred leather. Her hand was red from the heat.

    Ionyr grabbed her wrist and placed his flask in her palm. Thankfully, it was still relatively cool, which helped abate the pain of the burn. "Should we bail?" He asked.

    Rayza was grateful for the suggestion, but annoyed at his disappointed tone. "Yes. We aren¡¯t ready to go deeper. Let¡¯s grab some water before we come back."

    "But¡­¡± He sighed, seeing her stern expression. "Fine.¡±

    As they turned around, they could hear a quiet rumbling. It was barely noticeable at first.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like that.¡± She said, feeling the floor start to shake. Alarm bells were going off in her mind.

    ¡°Me neither.¡± Ionyr agreed, visibly tense as the brittle rocks beneath their feet made cracking sounds. He grabbed her hand, realising the danger they were in. ¡°Now¡¯s the time. We run.¡±

    Ionyr began making a run for the exit, dragging Rayza after him. The rumbling quickly became loud and all-encompassing. Taken over by instinct and fuelled by panic, their steps became faster and faster as their bodies attempted to outrun nature¡¯s wrath.

    It was incredibly hard for them to keep their balance with the already uneven terrain shaking beneath their feet. As they ran around the bend, Rayza tripped over a crack in the rock. She scraped her knee on the rock, letting out a hiss. Thankfully it wasn¡¯t as hot as it was further down.

    Without missing a beat, Ionyr pulled her up onto her feet, then picked her up in a princess carry. As he continued his mad dash, his face was contorted into an unhinged grimace. Exhaustion and desperation marred his handsome features. Rayza bit her lip, knowing full well that all she could do was hold the lantern for him. Yet right as he ran around the last of the curve¡­

    It stopped. As quickly as it came.

    ¡°Thank the Spirits.¡± Rayza said, dropping from his arms and walking at Ionyr¡¯s side at a brisk pace. Both of them were panting heavily.

    "You jinxed it." Ionyr said, looking far too fresh, considering the feat he¡¯d just performed. He always was the fittest of the three of them - Ielus and Rayza could never compare to his speed, strength or stamina. Hardened by their travels, sure, but this went beyond that. Freak of nature, he was. All Rayza could do in her exhausted, flushed and very sweaty state was glare at him.

    ¡°Idiot.¡± She mumbled angrily, swiping the lantern from his hand. She needed a bath. Her clothes were getting sticky, and the stench of her own sweat didn¡¯t help either. ¡°Let¡¯s go¡­¡±

    As she turned to begin trudging for the exit, she bumped into a rocky wall with her shoulder. She grumpily rubbed her sore spot and held up the lantern to find the way. Right, there was the wall of grey rock she walked into. On her right was another¡­and so there was on the left.

    Her body shook as the grim reality of their situation set in - but this couldn¡¯t be happening. No. Please, no. Not like this. But sure enough, the only remaining way for them to go was behind them - back into the dark. They were¡­

    "Trapped." She said, her voice trembling too. ¡°We¡¯re trapped.¡± Running her hands along the rocks in their path only confirmed it. A nightmare. This was a nightmare.

 Chapter 4 - The Road to Hell

    Ionyr¡¯s hand trembled as he ran it across the warm stone, confirming that this was no nightmare - this was reality. The entire tunnel, from top to bottom and side to side was plugged with giant, hot boulders. They must have broken off the walls and ceiling by the tremors.

    "Ionyr?" Rayza asked, placing her hand on his shoulder. Ionyr could barely hear her voice over his racing mind. Every last warning, all of which he failed to heed, came back to him all at once. He¡¯d been warned about the dangers too many times to count. And what did he do? Laughed them off and recklessly forged ahead anyway.

    Now look. His selfish curiosity might be what costs Rayza her life. His heart began beating out of his chest. She would have been better off staying at home after all. He should not have taken her with him. It was his fault she would...die¡­

    Ionyr felt light-headed. Faint, almost. As he fell, his back hit the rocky wall. The spiky protrusions dug through his clothes and into his skin. Yet those punctures were nothing, nothing compared to the pain in his heart. He felt Rayza¡¯s hands touching his cheeks and tilting up his head, gazing into his eyes with concern.

    "I''m sorry." He mumbled. His broken voice was barely audible to even himself. The growing fear in Rayza¡¯s eyes forced him out of his stupor. Wait, this was not like him, he thought, and neither was it the time for this nonsense. He shook his head, violently dispersing those useless thoughts of self-loathing.

    How often had they been backed into a corner, only to come out alive and well? In a situation like this, his mind had to be his ally, not his enemy. He thought of all possibilities. The rocks were too large for the two of them to clear, so that option was immediately out the window.

    Wait for help, maybe? No way Rudd would be able to clear this wall on his own. It would take too long to fetch the townspeople, if they¡¯d even be willing to help. Besides, how would they call for help, anyway? That left only one option.

    ¡°We should head back down.¡± Ionyr said, barely able to keep his voice steady. "Maybe there¡¯s another exit." It was an absurd idea. Yet what other avenue was left to them? Most others were figuratively, and some quite literally blocked off.

    Rayza lowered her gaze and bit her finger, herself pondering all their options. When she realised this was probably their best bet, she nodded and held out her hand. He took it with no hesitation, and she pulled him up.

    "Let''s go." Ionyr gave it a tight squeeze before leading them back down into the depths. Hope was slim. But had there been a time when it wasn¡¯t? In all their adventures, how high was the chance they¡¯d find any sign of the Creators? And still, how often did they dive into these kinds of dangerous situations anyway?

    ¡°Then again, there¡¯d never been a cave-in before.¡± Said a voice at the back of Ionyr¡¯s mind, ¡°We haven¡¯t ever been in a situation this hopeless.¡± He shushed the voice and kept pressing forward.

    Deeper and deeper they went, ever further into the dark. There were no landmarks upon the stone to orient themselves, nothing even close to that mural. Ionyr was starting to think that it might have been a fake. As his thoughts drifted, so did his hand absent-mindedly find its way onto the hilt of his sword hanging on his belt.

    ¡°Come to think of it,¡± Ionyr thought, ¡°its placement and design had been awfully convenient.¡± Close enough to the entrance, to lure them further in. Reminiscent of Rudd¡¯s story about the Stars, to give it a fake legitimacy.

    Had this whole thing been an elaborate trap? A rockslide was a convenient and easy way to get rid of people. Maybe they had some sort of contraption in place?

    No, wait. This made no sense. Why would they go that far to get rid of them? Why not just leave them in the fog?

    ¡°Ionyr.¡±

    Or why not attack them all at once, in town? Easier than setting up a trap like this.

    ¡°Ionyr.¡±

    Unless¡­those bastards feared him¡­as they should. He may not be a fighter, but he was strong enough to take on that town of wretches. If he ever gets out of here, he¡¯ll¡­

    ¡°Ionyr!¡± Rayza shouted. Startled, he turned to look at her. ¡°My hand!¡±

    ¡°S-sorry.¡± He stuttered, immediately letting go. When did he let his grip get so strong?

    ¡°You okay?¡± Seeing her concern, he relaxed, letting go of his sword¡¯s hilt.

    ¡°Y-yeah. I¡¯m fine.¡± This heat was getting to his head, to the point he was losing control of his own thoughts. It didn¡¯t help that their water had run out too. And to top it all off, the lantern was starting to lose its glow. Time to spark it up again.

    Ionyr avoided eye contact as he took out the red gem inside. The lantern usually lasted around six hours - considering they entered at noon, the sun had to be setting by now. His hand trembled as he weakly dragged the gem along the wall, attempting to spark its light back to life.

    His arm was heavy. The full weight of his recklessness was beginning to weigh on him ¨C what wouldn''t he give to go back and slap himself. To tell himself to listen to reason.

    No, Ionyr thought, shaking his head. No time for such thoughts. He had to be strong for her. He vowed to protect her - from fear, from nightmares and from danger.

    ¡­like the very danger he so thoughtlessly put her in. His dream¡­wasn¡¯t it the reason their lives were at stake now? Him having this dream, and chasing it - did that by itself break his wedding vow?

    Alas, there was no going back - no running from the guilt.

    Finally, there was a spark, which lit the gem in a bright red hue. Placing the gem back into the lantern, he then took her hand once more. There was only one thing he could do in this situation. One way to atone. And that was to lead them deeper into the dark.

    Heh. Ironic. Only place to find a ray of hope is in the darkest pit of hell.

    Chasing such a faint hope¡­perhaps that was the only thing he was ever good at. Though with every step they took, that tiny sliver of hope shrunk a little more. Besides the echo of their footsteps, the journey into the bowels of the earth was remarkably silent.

    Not like they could talk much. The heat had parched their throats to the point that it hurt to even breathe. It had never lessened, instead only ever increasing in intensity - the rocks beneath their feet were so hot they were starting to scorch their leather boots. They couldn¡¯t keep this up. If it got any hotter, they might combust right then and there. And yet, Ionyr kept pushing forward, chasing that faint, faint glimmer of hope.

    "Ionyr, look!" Rayza suddenly shouted, before coughing. Her voice was raspy and scratchy. As he turned to check on her, he noticed her pointing ahead. Following her finger...there, further down the tunnel...there was light. Finally, there was hope on the horizon.

    "See, I told you it would be fine." He coughed. Dammit, that hurt. Yet still, he gave her a cheeky, albeit shaky grin. "Come on, let¡¯s go!" He said before taking off. His legs and feet were reinvigorated, excitedly charging towards freedom.

    He felt like a child again, remembering all the times they had raced back home for dinner after a long day of playing. He¡¯d always been first. On the odd day that Rayza joined their table, she¡¯d be second. Ielus was always dead last. Then again, Rayza had the comfort of being carried by Ionyr. Some things never changed.

    Pulling her along in his shaky, weak sprint. Making sure to slow down so she could keep up. Constantly checking behind to see if she¡¯d tripped. It all was just like it was, in those good old days. Even that light ahead, he could almost see his childhood home in it, his mother in the doorframe calling his name. Man, the heat really was getting to him, he thought as he chuckled. Good thing they¡¯d be able to leave after they get through this dead end.

    Wait. A¡­dead end? Dead¡­end.

    No, this can''t be, he thought. He reached out, his hand finding the same rocky surface that surrounded them from all sides. Gems. The light came from gems. The same type of gem, he realised, that lay inside his lantern. Some were red, others a light blue, yet others a pure white. Granted, they seemed to make the area a little cooler, but in the end, it didn¡¯t amount to much more than a false hope.

    "Why...why did you stop?" Rayza asked. He could hear her coughing as she tried to catch her breath.

    Ionyr blinked a few times, hoping that it would change something, anything about the reality of this situation. Maybe this was a nightmare after all. Surely, they couldn¡¯t die like this, right? Not like a bug trapped under a mug. Anything but this¡­hopeless despair.

    But every time he opened his eyes, he was greeted by those same gems. He felt mocked by them. Showing him his childhood¡­was that their way of saying that it was his time? To have his life flash before his eyes? Dammit, he thought, there has to be a way out.

    He searched the walls with his lantern. Nothing but rocks. The ground? Stout and hot. The ceiling? More of the same.

    The more he looked, the less he found. He eventually felt a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. As he came to grips with the reality of their situation, he slowly turned around to face her. Seeing her sad, caring blue eyes, he forced a weak smile onto his face.

    "I''m sorry..." A singular tear streamed down his face, evaporating with a hiss as it hit the floor. "It''s a dead end."

    "Yeah¡­" She glanced at the gem-speckled wall. ¡°It¡¯s the end of the road.¡±

    "So it is.¡± He slumped against the hot wall. ¡°So much for the light at the end of the tunnel." The heat seeped through his cloak, beginning to burn his back. "It''s my fault. If I hadn''t run in so recklessly earlier..."

    Rayza knelt down and put a finger to his lips. "It''s okay." After kissing him on the cheek, she moved him to the gem-speckled wall. Ionyr felt his back cooling off as she hugged him, resting her head against his cheek. "You were trying to be strong this whole time for me, weren''t you?" She caressed the back of his head. "Thank you."

    "Don''t.¡± He muttered, shaking his head and gritting his teeth. Clenching his free hand into a tight fist, he slammed it into the wall behind him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me! I killed both of us!" With each word he spat, his voice cracked more and more. He had been arrogant, and was willing, even happy to deal with the consequences. But Rayza...! She was always there for him. From the start, all the way to the end. She didn¡¯t deserve this. There was so much for her to live for - a family awaiting her in the future. What did he have? "It was my mistake! You shouldn¡¯t have to pay for it!"

    "Ionyr.¡± Her voice, albeit coarse, was calm and steady. ¡°I chose this life with you." She pulled back, and looked him in the eye. Only tender love for him filled those caring blue eyes of hers.

    "I knew you were reckless. I knew full well that we¡¯d be risking our lives.¡± She said, stroking his cheek. ¡°Nothing has changed - I still want to be at your side. To protect you from yourself¡­and to love you, as you should yourself." She gave him a passionate kiss on the lips. When she pulled back, she put her forehead to his, and stared into his eyes.

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    "I don''t regret a single second I spent with you. Never have, and never will. In fact, I enjoyed every last one." She sat down beside him and softly ran her hand through his hair. "You¡¯ve protected me for so long. Been a rock for me to lean on." Stroking his forehead and wiping away the sweat, she gave him a gentle smile. Slowly, tenderly, she guided his head towards her lap. ¡°Let me fulfil our wedding vow¡­as you did.¡±

    "My ¡®gentle breeze¡¯...?" Resting the back of his head on the soft skin of her thighs, he immediately relaxed. All tension left his body.

    "Your ¡®second wind¡¯, yes." Rayza corrected him. It made him smile, weakly so, these warm memories lightening his heart. All things considered¡­this wasn¡¯t so bad.

    "I prefer ¡®gentle breeze¡¯..." He said, making her sigh.

    "Then a ¡®gentle breeze¡¯ I will be.¡± He thrust his arms feebly into the air.

    "Hooray...!" She giggled, but Ionyr could tell that it was weighing on her mind, too. The words she left unspoken.

    ¡°Until death do us part.¡±

    "You know, that speech made me melt.¡± He said, trying to fill the silence. ¡°Unfortunately, this damn heat is trying to steal credit for your work." Her giggle turned into a dry laugh, before becoming a forceful cough. To be honest, he was trying to play cool, but he was starting to feel faint again. This might be their last chance. It might be the time to get everything off his chest. He sighed and attached the lantern to his belt.

    "Rayza, I am sorry. For not giving you the family you always wanted."

    She paused before returning to caressing his hair. ¡°I know you tried your best. Besides, maybe it was a bad idea to begin with. Unless we gave up these adventures, she would''ve become an orphan."

    "I would have given up my dream in a heartbeat for our child.¡± Her dream was a hell of a lot more important than his - though he was certain she thought the same way. ¡°And who said it would¡¯ve been a girl?"

    "Woman''s intuition." He chuckled, then sighed. Ionyr''s thoughts drifted to his brother. Perhaps this is what people mean by the life flashing before one''s eyes. All his regrets are flowing through his mind and pouring out his mouth.

    "I wonder how Ielus is doing. Haven''t seen him in a decade."

    "Not since he joined the Order." Her face tensed. She was furious when she first found out - called it a deep betrayal.

    ¡°You still don¡¯t agree with that, huh?¡± Couldn¡¯t say he blamed her. Ionyr would be just as angry with Ielus if he were in her shoes.

    ¡°Not one bit. I¡¯ll haunt him in his sleep.¡±

    He chuckled. ¡°You keep your grudges for too long.¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡± Rayza gazed at the ceiling with a distant look, as if attempting to peek through the stone and see what Ielus was up to. ¡°I do miss him though.¡±

    ¡°I do, too.¡± Ionyr sat up and rested his head upon the cool stone. It wasn¡¯t as comfortable as her lap, but it gave him the chance to return the favour. He guided her head to rest on his shoulder. As she did so, he tenderly kissed her forehead before placing his head on hers.

    This was a nice position to die in, he¡¯d wager.

    Their tiny red light was starting to dim. Probably didn¡¯t spark it strongly enough. Or perhaps it was his own vision going dark. His voice was becoming more hoarse, and his head felt lighter and lighter by the second.

    "I still can''t understand.¡± She sounded honestly hurt. ¡±Why would he work for those slavers?"

    "Rayza¡­.¡± He said, sighing. ¡°Their heart¡¯s in the right place. Everyone deserves...a second chance, right?"

    "Yeah..." Her voice was growing more distant. His ears were failing. "Even criminals...deserve it....but the price...too high." She leaned her head on his shoulder.

    "Ionyr..." She whispered into his ear. Her voice was clear as day, this close. He could feel her trembling as she tightly gripped his hand. "I''m scared."

    He put his hand on hers. "I know." Nuzzling his head into her hair, his eyelids fell shut, too weak to stay open. Unable to physically gaze upon it, he summoned the image of her beautiful face into his mind. If he was going to die, he wanted it to be the last thing he saw. The blue hue of her eyes, and the stunning sky he saw in them.

    "I''m scared too." Scared that he¡¯d never see Rayza¡¯s face again. He felt her trembling grow stronger. No, hold on. It wasn¡¯t her that was shaking. It was the ground.

    Like before, it quickly started rumbling stronger and stronger. Ionyr pulled her close, and she wrapped her arms around him in kind. If this was their fate, they''d face it together. The sounds of crumbling rock surrounded them, cascading upon one another until the earthquake culminated in another great rockslide.

    <hr>

    By some miracle, they were left unscathed in the chaos, though clouds of hot dust filled the entire tunnel. Rayza spent some time coughing as it settled. As the clouds cleared, a small ray of light fell upon her weary eyelids.

    She opened her eyes, and could scarcely believe what they were showing her. Right there, in the caved in ceiling was a hole to the outside. The golden light of the sun setting shone into the cave. There, at the end of this new tunnel. Words failed to describe how she felt.

    "Ionyr!" She cried, excitedly shaking him. "There''s a way out!" She shot up and tugged on his hand.

    "So there is." He replied, dumbfounded. Ionyr looked at the hole with his good eye, the other having gotten dust in it. While attempting to stand up with slow, heavy movements, his knees buckled and gave way. His last energy reserves had been exhausted by all the running he did earlier, it seemed. "Give me a minute." He choked out, panting.

    "No." She said sternly, pulling his hand with all her renewed vigour. "Get up.. We need to get you some water!" She put all her weight into pulling him to his feet, but he was just too heavy for her.. "Come on!" She heaved again.

    Suddenly, a cracking sound, followed by a massive rumble sounded from below them. Not even moments later, the floor beneath his feet opened into a massive hole - and Ionyr fell right in. She screamed as his fall pulled her down with him, scraping her knees and elbows on the hard, steaming hot rock.

    The hole revealed a massive ravine that stretched too far for her to take in. At the bottom, light emanated in a sort of yellow-whitish glow she''d never seen before. It appeared to be a large river of...something hot. Whatever was down there at the bottom, it bubbled with sounds sounding sort of like a gloop.

    Dry, hot air surged past her. This had to be it - the reason why this damn cave had felt like a furnace. Cursing, Rayza grit her teeth and bore the heat while trying to pull him up. With Ionyr dangling above hell, her arm was like a slim silk thread from which his life was hanging. If she let go...no, she couldn¡¯t. She wouldn¡¯t. She''d rather fall along with him.

    "Give me your other hand!" Rayza shouted, before violently coughing. Damn it, her throat was still parched! The dust and hot air weren''t helping either! Almost made her lose her grip! "Quickly!¡±

    Ionyr looked up at her. His eyes were glazed over, yet a small, loving, almost delirious smile found its way onto his lips. "Ah...there are those beautiful eyes..."

    "Ionyr! I can''t hold on much longer!" She shouted, panting heavily. Damn it, why was she so weak?! Come on, pull, you stupid bitch!

    He chuckled. "Don''t worry, my dear...I''ll be fine."

    "No! Don¡¯t you dare!" She yelled, wincing in pain. The whole front of her body felt like it was on fire - and the smell of her burnt flesh didn¡¯t help either. It hurt to hold onto his hand - her body was yelling at her to let go and cool off by the speckled wall. But her mind refused. Despite it all, she held on.

    "Your hand! Give me your other hand!" She said, feeling the urge to cry from the pain - though her body lacked the water to produce tears at this point. Suddenly, the ground she was lying on cracked and burst to pieces, dropping into the ravine. The sudden shift in footing made his hand slip from hers. ¡°No!¡± She cried out.

    Watching him fall into the ravine, that same smile on his face, something inside her snapped. She dove after him, grabbing his shirt and pulling herself close to him. Hugging him tightly, she glanced at the hot, glowing river they were headed for. So this is how she died.

    It was a good death, she¡¯d say. Closing her eyes, she embraced their end - together, as it should be.

    Rayza waited. And waited. Yet it didn¡¯t come. Cracking open a single eyelid, she found the two of them floating, hairs apart from the river of death.

    It parted before her eyes, opening a big, round hole right in below them. Beneath the liquid heat was another dark tunnel. Its sides were speckled with gems, bigger than any she''d ever laid eyes on before. Their light pulsed rhythmically, like blood pumping through a vein. As though it was guiding them even deeper into the pits of hell.

    There was little time to ponder before they fell again. They passed by dozens, if not hundreds of these gems on the way. It was hard to tell. They were falling so quickly that the individual gems turned into unrecognisable, colourful blurs along the walls.

    Eventually, some unseen force began slowing them down as they reached a wide open space. Thankfully, it was much cooler than the cave above. But without the glow of the gems to guide them, they were left in darkness on all sides. As they arrived on what seemed to be the bottom, they were daintily placed on the floor. With the light of the lantern, she could see a small area around them.

    The floor was made of a hard material that was as smooth as marble and blacker than the darkest night. It was entirely foreign to her. As she ran her hand across it to inspect it, the gem inside the lantern shone brightly. A moment later, the light shot out in the form of a red ball, leaving the gem¡¯s glow fading. The light hovered in the air before shooting into the stone, vanishing entirely. Both the light and the two of them were swallowed by the dark.

    "Well...that''s that." She said, dropping herself down next to her exhausted husband. "Can''t...see anymore, either."

    His breaths were even, but increasingly shallow. Hers weren¡¯t much better. She wrapped her arms around him, snuggling up close. The only sense left to her was touch. And despite everything, she wanted to feel his heat - knowing that her sense of touch, as well as his warmth, would soon be taken from her.

    "Hey...Rayza..." Ionyr whispered, his voice strained. He was delirious and slurring his words, seemed to gain enough presence of mind to piece together his thoughts - one last time. "What would you...have named...our child...?"

    "I wonder..." She put her head on his shoulder, feeling the last of her strength leaving her. "No use...thinking about it...now..."

    "I love...you." He said, before letting out a deep exhale.

    "I...love you...too." She replied. Soon, it would be her time too.

    It began as a tiny light. Rayza noticed a dull red glow, shining through the floor beneath. Pulsating in a steady rhythm, it became stronger and stronger. With each pulse, the light intensified, quickly becoming large enough to light up the whole space around them.

    Was she hallucinating?

    It was a massive hall, built entirely out of the smooth black material. The red light flowed through the walls. Undecipherable symbols appeared in them, similar to the symbols that were on the mural earlier. In the dead centre stood a massive stone statue. Only its hunched over upper body was visible, its lower half was submerged in the ground. Its head was nestled inside its great wings, akin to the great hawks of the north.

    The guardian of the afterlife, maybe? Or maybe she was hallucinating after all.

    "It is too early for you to die." A voice boomed through the hall. Can¡¯t hallucinate that. The walls shook as it spoke.

    There was another great rumble, and a small blue light rose from the floor. It slowly floated towards them. As it hovered above them, it split in two and engulfed them. Within a flash, all of Rayza¡¯s aches and pains were gone. Her throat was no longer dry. Her heart was beating calmly and steadily. Her body was full of energy and her mind racing with questions. Shooting up, she looked around.

    This¡­was real. What was this place? No, wait. More importantly¡­

    ¡°Ionyr!¡± She grabbed his collar and shook him.

    ¡°Mmh¡­five more minutes¡­¡± He mumbled.

    ¡°Oh for¡­wake up, idiot!¡± She slapped him.

    "Ow!¡± Ionyr opened his eyes. ¡°The hell was that for¡­¡± They widened, seeing what was going on. ¡°What happened here? What did I miss?!"

    Before she could answer his question, there was another rumbling sound. Turning around, she watched as red light shot from the floor into the statue. It cracked as the light travelled up its body, trying to burst free. Dust and ash fell from its surface as it began to shake. Slowly, surely, it moved.

    First it raised itself proudly, stretching its head and chest upwards. Its body resembled a muscular man, yet its face was more akin to a bird of prey. A sharp beak, accentuated by two large eyes. It had an odd piece of headwear to grace its magnificent features - similar to a crown, but very thinly wrapped around the head. Also, there was an empty space upon the forehead, where there would usually be a gemstone of some kind.

    Finally, it unfolded its arms and wings, of which there were three pairs each. Its arms were human, but the hands belonged to different creatures. One pair was human, another was closer to a bird''s, with one talon extending longer than the others. The third pair was an exception, as it was entirely a thick tentacle, suction cups and all.

    Its wings belonged to different species as well ¨C the lowest belonged to a falcon, small and slender. The middle set, larger and majestic, was an eagle''s. The top pair was largest of them all, bearing a set of three sharp claws, right where it bent downward. Rayza immediately recognized it as that of a basilisk, a fearsome beast of the North.

    Rayza and Ionyr were akin to ants standing next to this giant. Two houses stacked on top of one another may not even reach up to its chest. Its skin, if one could call it that, was made of the same stone that they''d seen when they first entered the tunnel. Yet now, after the light perforated its body, the rock was cracked, melting and moving, revealing a glowing orange-red core beneath the surface - not too dissimilar to the hot river earlier. Its movements started off stiff and awkward, but became more fluid by the second.

    "Humans." It said, although its beak didn''t move in accordance with its words. It placed its human palms together whilst crossing its other arms. The empty space in its crown lit up in a golden hue as a third eye opened upon its forehead. "You have done well to make it here. Welcome to our Sanctuary of Fire."

 Chapter 5 - Visions

    This place looked like it came straight from an old storybook, illuminated by the harsh, bright light emitted by the being before them. The floor and walls, made of the same translucent stone, glowed with a mystical light. It shone in a multitude of colours, ever-changing between the entire spectrum in beautiful, divine patterns. As the statue raised a talon, splinters flew off the walls, forming odd symbols that floated around it in a ring form. It flicked its talon across them, causing them to swirl - but as it tapped one of them, they instantly stopped.

    It hummed. ¡°So, it has been nearly three centuries.¡± It said, swishing the symbol aside. As the ring dispersed and the characters flew back into the wall, the statue crossed its arms. Leaning forward, it lowered its head to their level before its eye sockets began emitting a bright red glow. ¡°It seems little has changed in the outside world.¡± It said, curiously looking them up and down.

    ¡°What are you? What is this place?¡± Ionyr said, noting that the echo of his voice was puny compared to this giant¡¯s. He was trembling - it was all so much to take in. The being glanced at him, then clapped the paws of its top arms together. Suddenly, the light in the walls shone brightly. Blinded, Ionyr instinctively shut his eyes.

    ¡°Over the millenia, we have been given many names.¡±

    As Ionyr opened his eyes, he bore witness to an otherworldly sight. No longer were there walls surrounding the great hall - they had given way to what looked like the night sky. His feet still stood on solid ground, but when he looked beneath him, there was nothing there. Ionyr heard Rayza yelp in surprise before grabbing onto his arm.

    ¡°To even try mentioning them all would be tantamount to naming all stars in the sky.¡±

    He could see everything from here - Idyllis, the Western Isles, the North, even the Dead South! The whole world lay at his feet! Ionyr looked up to meet the statue¡¯s gaze. Its base had melded with the ink of emptiness surrounding them, giving the illusion that it sprouted from this space itself. Raising its hand, a golden radiance emanated from behind them.

    ¡°Putting it simply - we are the Ones you sought.¡±

    Ionyr turned around, seeing the sun in all its glory. A snake of fire rose from its surface, shooting towards them. He dropped onto his knees, pulling a terrified Rayza with him. The flare shot right over their heads, leaving him in utter awe. It coiled around the being¡¯s furry arm and slithered across its torso before curling up before the statue in a ball of flame.

    ¡°We are the Creators. You stand in our sacred sanctuary, built to guard the Sacred Flame.¡±

    Ionyr was stunned speechless. Glancing at Rayza, he could see her jaw dropped and her eyes wide, unable to grasp what they were witnessing. This was it, he thought. His dream¡­it all culminated here. He - no, they had really done it.

    They found the Creators. Those ancient myths¡­all of them, true.

    Yet, it all only whet his mind¡¯s appetite for answers. Why did the statue refer to itself as ¡®we¡¯? Why were they down here, in this cave, remaining hidden for millenia? What did they mean by ¡®three centuries¡¯? Or ¡®Sacred Flame¡¯, for that matter?

    He had so many questions, yet lacked the breath to ask. It had been taken from him - the view on the world below; the infinite void between the stars; and the grand figure of the Creators standing before him had robbed him of his voice. He was faced with the ineffable, an unmatchable awe - how could he possibly dare to ruin it with his mortal questions?

    ¡°We have been observing your journey.¡± The gods continued, using its tentacles to mould the ball of flame before them. It morphed until it looked like a man and a woman holding hands.

    Wait, that¡¯s us, Ionyr realised, eyes widening.

    ¡°Ever since you stepped foot in our domain, we have been testing you. Gazing at your dreams.¡± Moulding it further, the fiery figures morphed into two different shapes - the man now had a satchel and cloak strapped around him, the woman held a child in her arms.

    ¡°You, who desires to satiate your thirst for knowledge with your own hands. And you, whose wish is for your union to reach its ultimate climax. We thoroughly understand what it is you seek in this life.¡± The flames dispersed. ¡°We believe you are worthy.¡±

    Worthy of what, Ionyr wondered as it leaned forward. Its falcon-like face was now inches away from them. Despite its body being composed of glowing, molten rock, there was no heat exuding from it.

    ¡°Touch your hands to our third eye.¡± It spoke. Said eye had been pulsing with red light, steadily and slowly, almost like breathing. ¡°This is our final test. Pass, and you will have proven your worthiness.¡±

    Ionyr shot Rayza a glance - was this safe, he wanted to ask. After what happened earlier, he was far more inclined to listen to her warnings. However, there was neither fear nor desperation on her face. She, too, was enraptured by the magic happening before them.

    When she caught his glance, Rayza bit her lip. Clearly, she had some reservations. How could she not, after everything that happened?

    ¡°Great Creators.¡± She said, slowly standing up. ¡°What happens if we refuse to take your test?¡±

    ¡°A valid inquiry.¡± They spoke, the tentacles suddenly flaring out, grabbing hold of the dark void. Giving it a strong spin, the entire sky around them turned into a blur - it was like watching a globe spin from the inside. There were no more stars, just streaks of light. ¡°Should you refuse, we would wipe your memory. This entire adventure would fade from your minds, becoming nothing more than a blurry dream. Then, you will be released back to the outer world.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Rayza looked at Ionyr, her eyes betraying her uncertainty. He could tell she was conflicted - on one hand, they¡¯d get out of a near-death scenario relatively safe. But would it really be them that left this cave? ¡°So even though we accomplished your dream, we¡¯d be back at square one.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Ionyr stood up and scratched his chin. ¡°We¡¯d probably go back to adventuring anyway.¡±

    ¡°Knowing you, we¡¯d spend the rest of our lives searching for what we¡¯ve already found.¡± Rayza said, slightly annoyed. ¡°Let¡¯s not do that.¡±

    Chuckling, Ionyr agreed. In a cosmically ironic way, there was some humour to that idea. Then again, would it even be worth finding the Creators if they couldn¡¯t remember it? If he achieved his dream, but never knew it? Nah, not worth it.

    ¡°Well then, looks like we won¡¯t have much of a choice.¡± Ionyr put his arm around Rayza¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I do have one final question though.¡± He said, turning to face the statue. ¡°Great Creators. What would happen if we failed your test?¡±

    ¡°Should you fail, it will lead to the same result as your refusal.¡± It said, the red eye flashing. ¡°We strongly urge you to take this trial - destiny has brought you before us for a reason.¡±

    He checked with Rayza. She nodded without hesitation - if the result was the same regardless, why not risk it? Grinning, he turned to face the statue. ¡°Well, who are we to deny destiny? We¡¯ll face your trial, Great Creators.¡±

    ¡°Go on, then.¡± It said, its voice stoic as ever. ¡°Touch our third eye, and let us begin your final trial.¡±

    They reached out together. As they touched the crimson gemstone, it flashed brightly, engulfing them in an incandescent light. Comforting and familiar, like a sun of days long past - the sun of better days.

    <hr>

    A nostalgic scent filled his nostrils. Lavender. Ionyr¡¯s eyes flew open, to be greeted by the familiar wooden ceiling of his childhood bedroom. Looking over, he could see Ielus sleeping beside him. For some reason, Ionyr had tears in his eyes, and was breathing heavily.

    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    Why were his eyes wet? Did he have a bad dream? Or was it so good it made him cry?

    ¡°Ionyr! Ielus!¡± He heard his mother call. They both stood up and rushed into the kitchen. ¡°I¡¯m making fish stew.¡± She said without looking up, busy chopping vegetables. ¡°Be dears and go fetch from the creek.¡±

    ¡°Yes Mum!¡± They said, grabbing their fishing nets before taking off. The creek was on the outskirts of the village, beyond a path of reeds, which were well taller than the boys. Sounds of buzzing filled the air - there were bugs abound. Of them all, the low humming of the Reedjumper¡¯s wings was the most distinct. Using their nets, they caught the finger-sized insects and prepared them for use as bait.

    It didn¡¯t take long before they each had caught a Bassinger, and ran back home. ¡°Thank you, boys.¡± Their mother said warmly, before pressing a kiss onto Ielus¡¯ head. As she leaned in to give Ionyr one, he closed his eyes, his lungs filled with the nostalgic lavender air.

    When he opened them, he found himself in a small alcove - their homebase, under that big tree in the woods near his home. He¡¯d recognize that earthy, dirty smell anywhere. Rayza and Ielus were staring intently at him. What was he doing again? And why did he have that warm, longing feeling in his chest?

    ¡°Brother? You were saying?¡±

    ¡°Er¡­right.¡± Ionyr composed himself and cleared his throat. ¡°Rayza, we found out more about the Creators.¡± He glanced at his brother. ¡°And we¡¯ve finally settled on a goal for our adventuring party.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± She asked, tilting her head, a small smile on her face.

    ¡°We-¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll be searching for the Creators, Rayza!¡± Ielus interrupted, and went on to explain in lengthy detail the entire story of the ancient gods, as well as the Calamity that ended their era. ¡°We will prove them real, Rayza!¡± He said, proudly puffing his chest out.

    ¡°That¡¯s great, Ielus.¡± She seemed a little taken aback by his outburst, but kept a polite smile. She even giggled a little. Ionyr was surprised. It was like they¡¯d known her for years, with how comfortable she was around them - but in truth, it had been barely a month since they¡¯d met.

    He was glad, though, that he was no longer the only person in Ielus¡¯ life - that there was another that accepted his brother. Ionyr smiled as she turned to face him. ¡°So, Leader, what¡¯s our first move?¡± She asked.

    Grinning, he picked up a stick. ¡°First, we¡¯ll need a map.¡± Kneeling on the ground, he drew a small circle in the dirt. ¡°This is our village.¡± He then went around the entire edge of the alcove, drawing one big line along it. ¡°It¡¯s a big world out there. So we¡¯ll need to first explore everything around our village.¡± Following that, he drew a slightly bigger circle around the village. Then he marked an X on the west side of the smallest ring. ¡°This is our home base - we know this forest like the back of our hand. What other places could we explore?¡±

    ¡°What about this cave here?¡± Rayza took the stick from him and drew an X on the northern edge of the large circle. While she maintained her polite expression, her eyes betrayed excitement - as though she were holding herself back. Yet there was also a hint of shame as she continued. ¡°My¡­my father said that there are some sticky rocks in there.¡±

    ¡°Sticky rocks? Why, are they gooey?¡± Ielus said, with a mocking tone. There was immediate regret on his face as he finished his sentence - he likely didn¡¯t intend for it to come off like that.

    ¡°No, ew!¡± Rayza grimaced and gagged in disgust - likely more in reference to what he said, and not how he said it. ¡°My father had a name for it. Mag¡­Magne¡­Magne-something.¡±

    But Ielus¡¯ expression became dejected nevertheless.

    ¡°Sounds good to me!¡± Ionyr quickly tried to move on and circled the X she drew. Turning to his brother, he tried changing the subject. ¡°Ielus, you got any suggestions?¡±

    It took a brief moment before Ielus realised, but his expression turned excited the second he did. ¡°Sure do!¡± Giddily grabbing the stick, he drew an X outside the southern edge of the large circle. ¡°I heard from Old Goldie that there¡¯s a big bluff here. It¡¯s just upstream from our creek.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, isn¡¯t that a bit far?¡± Rayza said, anxiously twirling her hair. She gave Ielus a politely questioning look - like she wanted to reject his idea outright, but without risking offending him.

    ¡°Well, yeah.¡± Ielus said sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. He suddenly didn¡¯t look so excited anymore. ¡°But¡­go big or go home, right?¡± He added in a quiet, hasty mumble.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather go home instead of big.¡± Rayza glanced at Ionyr - not outright asking for his support, but hoping he¡¯d convince his brother otherwise.

    He wasn¡¯t exactly opposed to the idea, though. Turning to Ielus, he asked: ¡°Well, what¡¯s so special about this¡­bluff?¡± Adding onto that, he¡¯d like to know what a bluff was.

    ¡°Oh, well¡­¡± Ielus twiddled his thumbs, glancing insecurely at Rayza before looking back at Ionyr. ¡°Goldie said that¡¯s where the Bassingers lay their eggs¡­and there¡¯s a lot of interesting shellfish there. Apparently, some extinct ones were seen there recently.¡±

    A smile forced itself onto Ionyr¡¯s face. ¡°That sounds amazing! Why didn¡¯t you lead with that?!¡± He shouted giddily, drawing a circle around Ielus¡¯ X.

    ¡°It is?¡± Ielus said timidly, glancing at Rayza, who was still anxiously twirling her hair. He quickly straightened his back and puffed out his chest. ¡°I mean, of course it is! That¡¯s why I suggested it!¡±

    Rayza still appeared unconvinced. ¡°But it¡¯s so far from home. I have to -¡± She paused, meeting Ielus¡¯ expectant gaze with an unsure one. ¡°Are we really ready to go out this far?¡±

    Upon hearing her question, Ielus started staring at the ground, his eyes vacant and distant. ¡±I wanted to go out of my comfort zone for once.¡± His eyes were affixed to the village circle. ¡°Do something memorable¡­no, something unforgettable.¡±

    Seeing his brother¡¯s saddened expression, Ionyr realised what this was actually about. He put his hand on Ielus shoulder to reassure him. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Let¡¯s go there first.¡± He said, causing a small spark to return to his brother¡¯s eyes. He then turned to ease Rayza¡¯s fears. ¡°We can handle it.¡± He said confidently.

    ¡°Yeah. Yeah! We can handle it, Rayza!¡± Ielus added, hastily, but even more confidently.

    Rayza, upon seeing their united front, sighed and smiled. Unlike all the other small, polite ones, this one felt real - their words got through to her. There was a tinge of sadness in it, a hint of ¡®What will I do with you?¡¯, but there was genuine happiness in that smile, too. ¡°If you say so, Leader.¡±

    Returning her smile, he could hear Ielus whisper, barely audible: ¡°But it was my - nevermind.¡± He then spoke again, this time loud enough for them all to hear. ¡°Yes, thank you, brother.¡±

    As Ionyr turned to face him, he blinked.

    ¡°You good there, lad?¡± Raev was looking at him, quite concerned. They were standing in a field of wheat on a hill, overlooking Ionyr¡¯s hometown. Right, Raev had come over to visit them for a change. He was wearing a rather inconspicuous attire for a man of his stature - then again, he¡¯d given up that position to live with his family in a small village in the middle of nowhere. Being dangerously close to middle age, this old man wasn¡¯t known for enjoying attention.

    ¡°Sorry, zoned out for a bit.¡± Ionyr laughed it off, but there was this oddly determined feeling in the right side of his chest, opposite his heart. It reminded him of his early adventuring days.

    ¡°If you say so. Anyway, got any more gems for me?¡± Raev said, rubbing his hands in anticipation.

    Laughing, Ionyr pulled out a small pouch and handed it to the old codger. ¡°Why, you running out?¡± Even though this man was a good decade older than him, he still had the spirit of a child. In that, they were quite similar.

    ¡°I don¡¯t around much to Idyllis these days.¡± Raev said, enthusiastically opening the pouch. Gems of all colours and elements revealed themselves - red, blue, green and yellow. Fire, Water, Air and Earth. ¡°Beautiful, aren¡¯t they?¡± He mumbled, picking out a red gem and holding it against the sunset¡¯s light. ¡°Still trying to figure out if there¡¯s a difference between gems from Idyllis and those from the Isles.¡±

    ¡°If anyone can find out, it¡¯s you. No one else even bothers researching these stones.¡± Ionyr crossed his arms. ¡°Shame, really. Look at what you¡¯ve created after a single year of research. Who knows what scientific revolutions they would bring. If only all scholars -¡±

    ¡°Weapons.¡± Raev interrupted, pocketing the pouch. ¡°They¡¯d be used for weapons, lad. There¡¯s a damn good reason I asked you to not spread this knowledge.¡±

    ¡°I know, I know.¡± Ionyr sighed, looking wistfully at his home village. Was it worth giving up a potentially better future to prevent a potentially worse one? Hell, who was he to decide? All he wanted was to live in peace and chase adventures. ¡°Still, those tools you made for us really helped.¡±

    ¡°Glad to hear it.¡± He chuckled.

    ¡°So what are you cooking up now?¡± Ionyr asked, causing Raev¡¯s expression to darken.

    Avoiding Ionyr¡¯s gaze, he looked over to the village and sighed. ¡°A hot, fresh serving of Hypocrisy.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± He asked, concerned.

    But Raev waved it off, turning to leave. ¡°Nevermind. Just mumbling to myself. There¡¯s this little gadget I¡¯m working on - helps me get up in the morning. I¡¯ll send you one, alright?¡±

    Ionyr grabbed his arm before he could take another step. ¡°Raev. Are you alright? You sound¡­troubled.¡±

    Sighing, the old codger ripped his arm from Ionyr¡¯s grip. ¡°You know me well, lad - perhaps too well. I¡¯m always troubled, you know that. Old habits are hard to break.¡± Glancing back, he revealed a sad smile. ¡°But thanks for asking. See you around.¡±

    Waving, Raev walked off toward the horizon. A tinge of worry and sorrow filled Ionyr¡¯s chest as he watched his friend leave him alone on the hill. Sighing, he turned to head home.

    His vision went white.

    <hr>

    ¡°A most curious life - well-suited to the Star¡¯s mission to learn. Protective and responsible - he will take good care of it. Indeed, a very promising prospect. Now, how about the female?¡±

 Chapter 6 - A pipe dream

    A disgustingly familiar smell filled Rayza¡¯s nostrils, causing her to wrinkle her nose. Groaning, she pinched it shut and opened her eyes. The sight of her bedroom greeted her. While blurry at first, it quickly became clearer. Despite her best efforts, the stiff, pungent odour wafting in under the closed door forced its way into her nose to torment her senses some more.

    On top of that, the soreness in her right cheek from the night before hadn¡¯t faded either - probably swollen. Perhaps that¡¯s what she deserved. Who else would be dumb enough to stick around in this dump? What a great way to start the day, she thought as she got out of bed and left her room.

    There were bottles strewn all over the hallway, some still slightly full. Sighing, she began cleaning it up. Spirits knew her father wouldn¡¯t. Briefly peeking her head into his study confirmed her suspicions - he was out cold, snoring his head off. She immediately gagged, feeling bile rise up her throat as the putrid smell invaded her nose once more, with twice the force.

    Shutting the door, she held a hand in front of her mouth to make sure she didn¡¯t vomit before going back to her cleaning duties. After putting all the bottles back into the wooden crate, she heard a knock at the front door.

    Sighing, she droppied the crate beside it and opened the door¡­yep, it¡¯s the postman, as usual. And he was already pinching his nose shut, as usual. Not that she could blame him. It felt like she stepped out of a crypt, with how fresh the outside air was compared to that of her home.

    ¡°Hi, Rayza. Got some mail for your father.¡± The postman said, handing her a stack of letters. Most of them bore the names of their relatives, but one was sealed with red wax bearing the Ashen Order¡¯s seal.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± She politely bowed. His eyes were filled with pity, but it wasn¡¯t unusual. She always saw it, no matter whose eyes she looked into. It would drive her mad if she weren¡¯t completely numb to it by his point. After placing the crate outside the front door, she headed back in.

    What else was there even to do? Rayza had no energy, but didn¡¯t feel particularly hungry, either. Just kind of tired, like she was just going through the motions today. She slowly trudged through the house, opening the windows to let the smell out, before stopping at the study¡¯s door. Peeking her head in, she saw her father still soundly asleep.

    Maybe¡­yeah. Not like she had anything else to do. Now¡¯s as good a time as any. Slowly, carefully, she snuck inside while making sure to avoid the loud, creaky floorboards. Her target was the large bookshelf beside his desk - specifically, there was one book in particular she was after.

    Rayza could see it peeking out at the very bottom of the shelf. Its cover was neat and tidy, looking entirely unused. When she last cleaned up the remains of her father¡¯s drinking habits, it had caught her eye. The weirdly cute, pink cover looked odd compared to all the other dusty tomes, like it didn¡¯t belong in a scholar¡¯s study.

    The boards suddenly creaked. She froze. Her father wasn¡¯t snoring anymore. Quickly, she thought, grabbing the book and quietly darting out the door. Rayza ran back to her bedroom and hid under the covers. Panting, she examined her prize. Its binding was not made of leather, but instead an oddly smooth paper.

    There were three people on the cover. A man, a woman, and a girl. They looked happy. Maybe that¡¯s what a real family looked like - at least, that¡¯s what she¡¯d imagined when she first laid eyes upon it. It was like the cover had spoken to her - whispered directly to her soul.

    ¡°Home. Family. Joy.¡± Is what it had said. Rayza wondered whether she could be happy, too. Even without a mother.

    Flipping open the first page, she was surprised to see its contents. This wasn¡¯t the first book she¡¯d read - her father had taught her how while teaching her about various forms of wildlife, what to be careful of and what she could eat in a pinch. She¡¯d also stolen other books that looked interesting. But those all had been scholarly works. Map atlases, wildlife lexica and history books - the usual scripts that scholars read.

    But this¡­this was a story - about people. With a sudden sense of wonder, she read on. It was a very simple story. The family lived in a small farm village. As she read, Rayza learned of their day-to-day life. They went out and played. Ate dinner together. The father read his daughter bedtime stories, and helped his wife with the chores.

    It sounded fun. The more she read, the more jealous she found herself being of that girl. It was silly, though. She wasn¡¯t even real. She and her entire family. Yet still, Rayza found herself pining after that fictional life.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± She said, trying her best to hide the book behind her back. His breath reeked of alcohol - he was still drunk. Unfortunately, despite his drinking problem, her father was still sharp - relatively speaking. Ruffling his incredibly messy, unkept beard, he hiccuped again.

    ¡°You¡¯re hidin¡¯ something. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve been snooping around my bookshelf again.¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°Stand up.¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯ve got nothing to hide, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?¡± He grinned devilishly and grabbed her arm, pulling her off her bed. Upon seeing the book she was hiding, his jaw dropped slightly. He glanced at her, then back to the book. She closed her eyes, expecting another of his drunken punishments - but the pain never came. Instead, her father burst into loud, mocking laughter. ¡°That? You were worried about me seeing that? Silly girl!

    Tears welled in her eyes. Maybe it was silly. Maybe the idea of a perfect family was only possible in a book. But at least the dream was better than this. As his laughter calmed a little, her father picked up the book and handed it to her. Eyes wide, she could only stare for a moment.

    ¡°Go on, take it. How far did you get?¡± He asked, shoving it into her hands.

    ¡°J-just the first chapter¡­¡± She said, hesitantly pressing it to her chest. ¡°I liked the family¡­¡±

    ¡°The family, huh?¡± Her father seemed a little sombre. Whenever he got into this mood, Rayza was reminded of the man he used to be. Before her mother died. It was like this was his real self, and his drunkenness was just a curse that obscured it. She felt comfortable around him in this state. Perhaps it was the last thing keeping her from running away. ¡°Rayza, if you like the way that family is shown, don¡¯t read on.¡± He caught her inquisitive glance. ¡°Seriously, don¡¯t. Unless you want to see that idyllic dream of yours shattered.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± She asked, almost out of reflex. Did she really want to know? Some part of her was telling her not to listen to his answer.

    ¡°Since you asked for it - both parents die.¡± He said bluntly, taking some coins from his pouch and beginning to count them.

    ¡°¡­what?¡± Rayza was stunned. Her grip on the book slackened.

    ¡°Yeah, both. The daughter starts having mad delusions where they still live together.¡± Grabbing Rayza¡¯s pouch from her nightstand, he slips some silver coins in. ¡°That¡¯s why the cover looks like that. Overly cute and romantic. It¡¯s nothing more than a pipe dream.¡± He tossed the pouch at her. ¡°Catch.¡±

    It bounced off the book and plopped on the ground. The sound of the clinking coins was deafening. Her grip on the book slipped, and it landed with a thud on its back, opening to a page in its middle. Still in a stunned stupor, Rayza kneeled down to pick it up, her empty-minded gaze lingering briefly upon the page.

    ¡°Mom? Dad?¡± It read. ¡°Get up¡­.please¡­weren¡¯t we going to be together forever?¡±

    A whirlwind of emotions flared inside her core - yet none of them reached outside. She simply closed the book and threw it onto the bed whilst pocketing the pouch. Turning to head out, she opened the door.

    ¡°The usual?¡± She asked, her voice void of emotion.

    ¡°Yeah. Get yourself something too. Gonna need it, ¡®fore you starve.¡± Her father said before loudly burping and cursing.

    Rayza left the house with a blank mind. On the way to Old Goldie¡¯s shop, she chastised herself. Just like the girl in the book, she¡¯d let her head go to the clouds. How silly of her. As though she could have a life like that. It only existed in fiction. Her gaze downcast, she recounted what she had to buy.

    Booze for her father. Food for herself - and a rough idea as to what to cook. Like the mother in the book¡­damn it Rayza, just drop it! That life isn¡¯t for you! She cursed herself, but couldn¡¯t put it out of her mind. Violently shaking her head, she continued heading down the road to Goldie¡¯s shop.

    As she was about to turn the corner, something came charging around it and hit her in the shoulder. Yelping, she fell on her bum. The pouch loosened from her belt and the coins spilled everywhere. Someone ran by her as she lay knocked over on her back. Just her luck.

    ¡°Ouch.¡± A boy¡¯s voice mumbled next to her. Turning her head, she saw a boy roughly her age pushing himself off the ground, checking his face for bruises. ¡°Well that smarts.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that smarts.¡± Rayza thought, grumpily pushing herself into a sitting position. The boy noticed her, then, as he looked around, noticed all the coins on the floor. Grumbling, she started picking them up one by one while giving him a stinky side-eye.

    ¡°Did I do that?¡± He asked, pointing at the mess of silver on the floor.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± She rebuked, dumping a handful of coins into the pouch. Great, the impact on the floor made a hole on the bottom, too. How would she carry them now? Her father would kill her when she got back!

    ¡°Sorry about that. Here.¡± The boy said, handing her a pouch from his own.

    Taken aback, she blinked. Cautiously, she took the pouch from him, eyeing him with suspicion before opening it. There were a few coppers in there. Before she could ask him what this was about, he¡¯d already started picking up the coins on the floor and dropped them inside the pouch he¡¯d given her.

    ¡°It¡¯ll go faster if we both do it.¡± He said absent-mindedly, while picking up another handful.

    ¡°R-right.¡± Rayza said, before sitting up onto her knees and continuing the cleanup. As she dropped a few coins into the pouch, she paused. ¡°Why are you helping me? I¡¯m a complete stranger.¡±

    The boy also paused briefly, scratching his chin. ¡°Good question. I guess it would be my mother¡¯s doing.¡±

    ¡°Your mother?¡± She asked, holding out the clinking pouch.

    ¡°Yeah. She taught me many things. Like making up for one¡¯s mistakes.¡± He chuckled. ¡°And believe me, I make a lot of those.¡± He dropped the last few remaining coins where they belonged. As she tied the knot, he stood up and held out a hand. ¡°Also, I should always help a lady in need.¡±

    Rayza felt her cheeks heat up, and she cast down her gaze to hide her blush. Taking his hand, she let him pull her onto her feet. ¡°Thanks¡­¡± She mumbled, leaving her hand in his for just a few moments longer than it should.

    ¡°You good?¡± He asked, tilting his head.

    ¡°Yes!¡± She nodded violently, letting go. Twiddling her thumbs, she realised she¡¯d never felt this way before. It was like there were butterflies in her stomach. ¡°Um¡­what¡¯s your name¡­if I may ask?¡± She turned up her eyes, meeting his gaze shyly.

    ¡°It¡¯s Ionyr. And yours-¡±

    ¡°Come on brother, hurry up!¡± Another voice interrupted him. A sudden panic spread on Ionyr¡¯s features. ¡°He¡¯ll catch us!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, Ielus! I¡¯m coming!¡± He put a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Sorry, gotta run. Keep the change, it should pay for the ripped pouch.¡± He said apologetically before taking off. ¡°See you around!¡±

    Before she could ask what was happening, she could hear heavy footsteps approaching from around the corner. Turning her head, she could see the butcher charging after the two brothers.

    ¡°Just wait until I get my hands on you! I¡¯ll flay you and feed you to the hounds!¡± He yelled, raising his fist.

    Rayza didn¡¯t know what came over her at that moment. But as the burly man angrily stomped past her, she held out a leg - causing him to trip and fall flat on his face, taking her with him to the floor.

    ¡°The hell did you do that for, girl?!¡± The man shouted at her, but when he saw the torn skin on her shoulder and leg, he cursed. Looking back and forth between her and the two brothers, he was seemingly trying to decide his next course of action.

    Glancing in their direction, Rayza could see Ionyr¡¯s distant figure looking back at her gratefully. Hiding a smile, she did her best to ham up her injuries. ¡°Ouch! Mister Butcher, that really hurt! Why did you do that?!¡± She cried.

    What was she doing? Ionyr was by all accounts a complete stranger. Why was she lying to the nice old man? He¡¯d been so good to her over the years, too - given her many discounts and freebies. So why was she repaying him like this?

    ¡°Lucky little bastards.¡± The butcher mumbled beneath his breath. ¡°Your mother will hear about this!¡± He shouted after them, before picking her up. ¡°Come on, Rayza. Let¡¯s get you patched up.¡± He winked. ¡°I¡¯ll also give you a discount on the meat - you¡¯ll get the best cuts!¡±

    ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± She said, smiling - she was grateful to the butcher, no question¡­but she was also oddly satisfied with herself. Having helped that boy this way¡­felt good. Being helped by him¡­also felt good. It made her feel like she wasn¡¯t struggling through life all by herself.

    She hoped she would see him again soon.

    Her vision went white.

    <hr>

    Rayza blinked. Why did she have this warm feeling in her chest? It felt like butterflies were happily fluttering about. Also, what was she doing in the entryway of her home? Her hand was on the knob of the door. Before she could assess the situation, there was another knock from the other side.

    Right, someone had knocked earlier, while she was still busy deciding what to cook. Sighing, she opened the door, expecting another set of letters from the postman.

    ¡°Hey.¡± Oh Spirits. It was Ionyr.

    Rayza slammed the door in a panic, trembling. Upon glancing at the mirror beside her, she instinctively started tying her hair into a tidy ponytail and wiping the folds from her clothes. After tidying herself up, she flung the door open again.

    ¡°...hii.¡± She said shyly, flashing a small, polite smile.

    ¡°...hey.¡± Ionyr said slowly, chuckling awkwardly. ¡°Told you I¡¯d see you again.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± She giggled. ¡°You did.¡± There was an awkward pause. Twiddling her thumbs nervously, she tried to fill the silence. ¡°So¡­what brings you here?¡±

    ¡°Well, besides my promise, I told my mother about what happened earlier. She wanted to invite you to eat with us.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Did she hear that right?

    ¡°It¡¯s her way of saying thanks for helping us out.¡± His eyes widened slightly when he saw the bandages around her leg and shoulder. Guilt flashed across his face. ¡°I¡¯d be happy if you accepted.¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± She said, a little too enthusiastically. Seeing his surprised expression, she immediately cleared her throat and put on her polite smile once again. ¡°It would be rude if I didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Sweet! Come on then!¡± Ionyr grabbed her hand before she could protest. The butterflies in her chest swirled with nervous excitement.

    ¡°W-wait! My father -¡± She said out of reflex, before stopping herself. What was she going to say? That her father would forbid it? That she needed to cook for him? And for what? It wasn¡¯t like he was grateful at all.

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°What about your father?¡± He asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Ah.¡± Recognition flashed across his features, and he let go of her hand. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    Darn - she actually enjoyed the feeling of the swirling butterflies in a way. Now they settled down, slightly disappointed. ¡°Nevermind.¡± She said, shaking her head and sighing. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Shutting the door behind her, she followed him to his house.

    It turned out to be rather close to the edge of town, but still only a short walk away from hers. It was a quaint little cottage, with a small garden surrounded by a fence lined by beautiful flowers of all colours of the rainbow.

    A far cry from the barren dirt and untended lawn around her home. Rayza actually recognized a lot of these plants from the books she¡¯d read. From the yellow Summer Daisies to the azure Preacher Blooms, there were so many in this tiny little garden. She couldn¡¯t help herself. Kneeling down beside a row of Firemane Roses, she plucked one and sniffed it.

    It had a strong, piercing odour, like fire was invading her nostrils. Yet underneath was a warm, sweet scent that softened the impact. Rayza sighed, delighted. How many days had she spent in that morgue of a home? How many days had come and gone, with her learning about the outside world through some dusty tome? How many days had been wasted without her actually experiencing anything she read about?

    ¡°Smells good, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Ionyr had crouched down beside her.

    ¡°Y-yes.¡± She said, trying to hide her embarrassment.

    ¡°Can I have a whiff?¡± He reached for the flower, and she handed it to him.

    ¡°You have a very nice garden.¡± She said, letting her gaze wander along the other flowers.

    ¡°My brother will be happy to hear that.¡± He said, chuckling and giving her back the flower. ¡°He takes care of it.¡±

    ¡°And he does not appreciate you plucking the flowers.¡± Another voice said from over the fence.

    Rayza looked up to face another young boy, recognizing him as Ionyr¡¯s brother. ¡°S-sorry.¡± She stammered. Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she looked at Ionyr, who gave her a wink.

    ¡°Lighten up, Ielus. I was the one who plucked it and gave it to her.¡± He said to his brother, who raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Ielus scoffed and crossed his arms.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s my fault.¡± Rayza said apologetically. ¡°I said I liked it, so I had him pluck it for me. Please forgive me.¡±

    Ielus looked taken aback by her earnest apology. Thinking for a moment, he sighed. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll forgive you just this once.¡± He entered through the front gate, and she could see he was holding a basket with two Bassingers in it. ¡°Though you should watch out which flowers you ask for. Do you know the connotation of giving someone a Firemane Rose?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I do!¡± Rayza said giddily. Finally, a time where her countless hours of reading paid off! ¡°A Firemane Rose is obviously named after the Founding King of the Ashen Order. His legend played out aeons ago, and is to this day seen with a mix of mystery and romanticism. So giving someone a Firemane Rose means¡­an uncertain¡­romantic¡­¡±

    She stopped and hid her face in her palms. Oh Spirits. How could she forget? Rayza wished the floor would open and swallow her whole.

    Ionyr, upon processing this information, started chuckling awkwardly, before it turned into full blown laughter. ¡°Oh Spirits, that¡¯s a good one.¡± He wiped away a tear. ¡°Sorry about that. Didn¡¯t mean anything by it.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry.¡± Rayza thought, looking at him through her fingers, doing her best to hide her cheeks that were redder than the rose by now.

    ¡°You know a lot about flowers.¡± Ielus said, seemingly impressed. ¡°Do you read a lot?¡±

    ¡°Well, my father is a scholar, so¡­¡± She wasn¡¯t even able to finish her sentence before the giddy glimmer in Ielus eye stopped her.

    ¡°Your father is a scholar?! Why didn¡¯t you start with that?!¡± He said, excited. Taken aback at his outburst, she momentarily forgot about her embarrassment. ¡°Please tell me you have a library at home.¡±

    ¡°Y-yeah¡­we do.¡± She said slowly, lowering her hands and looking to Ionyr for help. He laughed.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have many books in our home. Ielus has been re-reading the same ones about butanism -¡±

    ¡°Botanics.¡± Ielus corrected.

    ¡°...sorry, botanics for the past few weeks.¡± Ionyr finished his sentence and shrugged.

    Ielus took her hands into his palms, and stared deeply into her eyes with a pleading expression. ¡°Please, please tell me you can sneak out some books for me!¡± His eyes shimmered with hope.

    Rayza was stunned. Besides the daily visits to Goldie¡¯s shop, all she ever knew about the world she learned from that library - she¡¯d been trapped in that house for so many years, that she¡¯d grown resentful of it. Never in a million years would she have thought that someone could want what she had to such a degree.

    ¡°Sure.¡± She said, after some hesitation. ¡°What subject are you most interested in?¡±

    ¡°Aquatic life!¡± Ielus shouted, but upon seeing her take a step back, adjusted his composure. Clearing his throat, he repeated: ¡°Aquatic life. I want to learn more about the fish and insects that live in our creek.¡±

    ¡°Right. I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡± Rayza nodded whilst eyeing the rose she¡¯d gotten from Ionyr, twirling it absent-mindedly.

    ¡°Thanks a lot!¡± Ielus said, a bright smile on his face. ¡°By the way, as you¡¯ve probably gathered, my name¡¯s Ielus.¡± He held out a hand.

    ¡°Rayza.¡± She tentatively shook it. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so your name was Rayza.¡± Ionyr mumbled, looking sheepish. Come to think of it¡­

    ¡°Ionyr, did you neglect to ask her name?¡± Ielus sighed and smugly shrugged his shoulders. ¡°How rude. You really are an idiot.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he is.¡± Rayza giggled.

    ¡°Oi, I¡¯m right here, you know.¡± Ionyr rolled his eyes and took the basket of Bassingers to the front door. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Mom¡¯s waiting for these.¡± He said before entering the house.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Ielus led her to the front door, before stopping briefly. ¡°By the way¡­about the rose.¡±

    ¡°Ah, right.¡± Rayza looked at it, feeling a little dejected. She held it out for him to take.

    Ielus¡¯ eyes widened, and he turned away. ¡°I wanted to say you can keep it. No need to give it back.¡± He said with a light tremble in his voice.

    ¡°You sure?¡± She was a little surprised. Then again, she wouldn¡¯t complain. She quite liked its spicy-sweet smell.

    ¡°U-unless you want to.¡± Ielus stammered, but shook his head and slapped his cheeks. ¡°Nevermind.¡± Turning around, he faced her with a cool, collected smile. ¡°Ladies first.¡± Stepping aside, he gestured for her to enter.

    ¡°So kind.¡± She bowed and walked up the steps.

    There was a wonderful fragrance inside of the house, nothing like she was used to - if her own home smelled of death, then this was what life smelled like. The hearty scent of simmering vegetable stew hung in the air, making her mouth water. Come to think of it, she still hadn¡¯t eaten.

    ¡°This way.¡± Ielus led her to the dining room. The table in the middle of the room, and the four chairs around it took up a lot of space. Spying through the window on the other end, Rayza could see the edge of the village - where the forest began. She could hear the clanking of wood against ceramic from the next room, likely the kitchen. As she looked around, Ielus pulled out a chair for her. ¡°Please have a seat.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± She said, sitting down. The anticipation was killing her - hopefully her stomach didn¡¯t decide to growl. She couldn¡¯t handle more embarrassment today.

    ¡°Right, here we are!¡± Ionyr walked in, holding a large ceramic pot. Steam was trying to push its way past the lid, and if it weren¡¯t for the leather pads he was holding it with, his hands would surely have gotten burned. He dropped the pot on the table. ¡°Ielus, go ahead and serve¡­¡± He looked at her, slightly perplexed.

    ¡°Rayza?¡± She asked slowly, raising an eyebrow. Did he really forget already?

    ¡°Rayza! That¡¯s what it was.¡± He laughed, but upon seeing her being annoyed, he sheepishly bowed out. ¡°I¡¯ll go check on the fish.¡±

    ¡°Idiot.¡± She mumbled with a sigh, resting her hand on her palm. It kind of hurt that he didn¡¯t even bother remembering her name.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother with him.¡± Ielus stirred the pot with a wooden ladle and started filling her plate. ¡°He¡¯s always been like that. I doubt he¡¯ll ever change.¡±

    ¡°You think?¡± Rayza took the plate and thanked him, absent-mindedly stirred the piping hot stew with her spoon.

    ¡°What do you mean, you forgot her name!?¡± A female voice boomed from the kitchen, causing her to flinch. ¡°You better go back there and apologise right now, young man!¡±

    ¡°But Mom - OW!¡± Ionyr¡¯s retort was cut short when a tired looking woman dragged him back into the room by his ear. ¡°Let go!¡±

    ¡°Not before you apologise to the young lady.¡± His mother hissed, before turning to Rayza and giving her the warmest, kindest of smiles. ¡°I am deeply sorry for my idiotic son¡¯s manners. I thought I taught him better.¡± Turning back to Ionyr, she went back to hissing. ¡°Now, go on.¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry I forgot your name, Rayza. Won¡¯t happen again.¡± He whimpered, grimacing from the strong pull on his ear.

    Rayza couldn¡¯t help but pity him. Say what you will about her father, he never embarrassed her to this degree.

    ¡°Good boy.¡± His mother said, letting go of his ear. Facing Rayza, she gave another warm smile. ¡°Could you find the heart to shake this idiot¡¯s hand, as a sign of forgiveness?¡±

    ¡°...sure.¡± Rayza said, slowly holding out her hand. Ionyr took and shook it, a deeply grateful expression on his face. She could get used to that expression - and to holding his hand. It made the butterflies go wild.

    ¡°Er, Rayza¡­do you¡­accept my apology?¡± He said, raising his eyebrows in a pleading way - clearly fearing his mother¡¯s wrath.

    ¡°Uh, right. Apology accepted.¡± She quickly withdrew her hand. Glancing at Ionyr¡¯s mother, she could¡¯ve sworn that a sort of smug, knowing glint shimmered in the woman¡¯s eyes - but she quickly changed the subject.

    ¡°Wonderful! I see Ielus has already served you, Rayza?¡± Upon seeing Rayza nod, she ruffled Ielus hair. ¡°Good boy. I''ll finish cooking the fish. You two start eating. You, Ionyr, will wait until I serve the fish.¡±

    ¡°But Mom -¡± His retort was silenced with a single glare.

    ¡°No buts. Sit and wait. That¡¯s final.¡± She said, heading back to the kitchen.

    Ionyr sat at the table, staring at his empty plate, looking dejected. Again, Rayza felt pity for him. Slowly sliding her chair over, she leaned closer to him and beckoned him to do the same.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be rude, but your Mom¡­¡± She whispered into his ear, glancing at the kitchen. The cooking sounds were thankfully louder than her whispers, so she continued. ¡°She¡¯s kind of crazy.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± He whispered back, before his lips curled slightly upward. ¡°But I know she does it because she loves me.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rayza was dumbfounded. In all the drunken punishments her father had given her over the years, not once did she think that there was love involved in it. And the humiliation Ionyr¡¯s mother inflicted on him was arguably worse. Yet he seemed to take it in stride.

    ¡°It¡¯s to make me a better man. If she didn¡¯t care at all, she wouldn¡¯t be punishing me.¡± He chuckled. ¡°And with all the trouble I put her through, I do need to be humbled sometimes.¡±

    She never looked at it that way. Then maybe, all those times her father disciplined her for going through his bookshelf¡­there was some deeper meaning to it? No, she thought, can¡¯t be. There was no warmth in his words whenever he reprimanded her. Ionyr¡¯s mother, despite her harsh actions, did seem to be kind at heart.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to wait, you know.¡± Ielus said, taking a spoonful of stew and wolfing it down. ¡°Mom said we can start eating.¡±

    Rayza stared at her plate for a moment, before glancing at Ionyr¡¯s empty plate. His stomach growled, as if in response to her pitying look. How often did she have to force her father to eat? All he ever did was drink - if it weren¡¯t for her force-feeding him her cooking, he might¡¯ve died by now.

    ¡°He¡¯s right, don¡¯t wait for me. You¡¯re hungry too, so feed yourself first.¡± Ionyr said with a smile. Her father often said the same thing - an excuse to keep drinking and staying drunk. Yet in Ionyr¡¯s words, she found only warmth.

    As if on cue, her own stomach growled. Blushing, she stirred her food, then took a spoonful of steaming stew and blew on it to cool it. Shooting Ionyr another glance, she found a similar feeling welling up inside her.

    But unlike the times she fed her father, she felt no binding obligation to help - instead, it was a freeing kind of volition that urged her to action. Rayza moved her plate a little closer and held the spoon out. He stared at it, dumbfounded.

    ¡°Quick. Before your Mom comes back.¡± She whispered. Ionyr didn¡¯t have to be told twice. His head shot forward, and his mouth engulfed the spoon, like a long-necked snapping turtle. He quickly retracted his head and licked his lips, erasing any trace of his act. Suddenly, his face contorted.

    ¡°...hot.¡± Ionyr said with a grimace, doing his best to keep calm.

    ¡°Right, here we are!¡± His mother returned, holding a pan with two cooked Bassingers in it. Rayza quickly pulled back her plate, shooting a concerned look at Ionyr. He was pursing his lips, eyes wide and sweat drops forming on his forehead - clearly doing his best to hide the pain. Placing the pan on the table, his mother sat opposite him and started cutting the fish.

    ¡°Rayza, please hand me your plate.¡± As she reached over to hand it to the older lady, Ionyr coughed, unable to bear the heat. The older woman looked at her son with narrowed eyes. Drat, she was suspicious now. Rayza froze and gulped. ¡°Ionyr. Did you have a bite while I wasn¡¯t looking?¡±

    He violently shook his head, then looked to his brother for help. Ielus was covering his mouth, and quietly snickering at his brother¡¯s misfortune. Upon seeing his mother turn to him, Ielus said with full confidence: ¡°No, Mom. I didn¡¯t see him eat any stew.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. You cover for him too often, Ielus.¡± Their mother said sternly, crossing her arms and turning to Rayza. ¡°Young lady, you don¡¯t strike me as a lying type.¡± She pointed at Ionyr, whose eyes pleaded with her to stay quiet. ¡°Did my son ignore the punishment I set for him?¡±

    Rayza did her best to keep a calm expression - yet she felt a cold sweat forming. How often had she been in this situation? Having to lie to save her skin, only to be called out and punished doubly - for her misdeed and for then lying about it? She¡¯d given up on lying for that reason exactly.

    ¡°He¡­¡± She stammered, but couldn¡¯t bring herself to finish the sentence. Seeing Ionyr¡¯s desperate struggle reminded her of herself. More than that, it felt to her like she¡¯d found a kindred spirit. All these years, all she wanted was one thing - to not face this cruelty on her own. To have someone by her side that helped her bear this burden.

    ¡°I fed him.¡± Rayza said without thinking. ¡°I was the one who overstepped your rules. I am deeply sorry.¡± She continued, lowering her head. What was she doing? She could hear a deep sigh.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡± There was a hand on her shoulder. Looking up, she could see the woman smiling. ¡°People have said many bad things about your father, but it looks like he raised his daughter right.¡±

    Rayza bit her lip, holding back her near decade of pain. She forced a smile. ¡°Yeah, he did.¡± Tears welled in her eyes. She couldn¡¯t tell them the truth - she was too scared of what might happen. If they found out what her father did¡­they might get disgusted with her. Throw her out.

    She wouldn¡¯t let that happen. Her father wouldn¡¯t ruin this for her - not like he did her childhood. At long last, she wasn¡¯t alone. She¡¯d finally found some semblance of warmth in this world - and she refused to let go. While serving herself and Ionyr, the mother continued.

    ¡°You know, I¡¯m very grateful you helped my sons earlier. They might drive me up the wall, Ionyr especially.¡± She shot a stern look at the boy in question, who proceeded to shrink in his chair. ¡°But I do love them. I¡¯d much rather chew them out myself than leave that to the butcher¡¯s hounds.¡± Chopping the fish into small chunks, she slid each of the teens a piece, first Rayza, then Ielus and finally Ionyr - leaving only a small one for herself.

    ¡°Mom.¡± Ionyr said, this time with a markedly more serious tone. ¡°We talked about your portion sizes.¡±

    ¡°We have a guest, Ionyr.¡± His mother retorted, putting the lid back on the stew pot. ¡°Of course my portion will be smaller.¡±

    ¡°Why do you think we catch all these Bassingers, Mom?¡± Ielus interjected, crossing his arms. ¡°They¡¯re good for your memory.¡±

    Sighing in exasperation, the woman pinched her nose. ¡°Just because you read it in a book doesn¡¯t mean¡­¡±

    ¡°You agreed, Mom.¡± Ionyr said sternly, exchanging a look with his brother. They both then cut a piece off their serving of Bassinger and slid it onto their mother¡¯s plate. ¡°If you love us so much, then you¡¯ll eat it. It¡¯s good for you.¡±

    The woman glanced at Rayza, with a face that said: ¡°What will I do with these two?¡±

    Staring at her own plate, many questions ran through Rayza¡¯s mind. Why were they so concerned about their mother¡¯s memory? How were they able to show such kindness to the adult who dealt such harsh punishment to them? And so earnestly that the very same adult seemed powerless to resist them?

    As she glanced over the pink flesh of the Bassinger, she realised the answer was staring her in the face. She cut a small chunk off it, releasing its meaty, hearty fragrance into the air. Despite her stomach growling loudly in protest, wanting to eat more than anything else, she slid a piece of fish onto the mother¡¯s plate.

    Feeling everyone¡¯s eyes on her, Rayza lowered her gaze as her face heated up. ¡°If you really love your sons¡­¡± She muttered shyly. ¡°Maybe you should listen to them.¡± Her hands were trembling under the table - this was the first time she¡¯d talked back to an adult like this. Much less the first time she¡¯d done it as a guest.

    ¡°Not you, too.¡± The mother sighed, before chuckling and placing a hand on Rayza¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Thank you, though. Lift your head, you¡¯ve got a heart.¡± As Rayza followed her instruction and lifted her head, she saw the warmth in the woman¡¯s tired smile. ¡°Should you ever get into trouble, come to me. Consider yourself part of the family.¡±

    Huh?

    ¡°Now then, let¡¯s eat.¡±

    HUH?! Rayza sat there, stunned as the others all began digging in. They started joking around, laughing, and enjoying their food. And she¡­was a part of this? Just like that?

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You¡¯re not eating.¡± The mother said, turning to her with a concerned expression.

    ¡°O-oh. Sorry. It¡¯s just¡­¡± Rayza didn¡¯t want to be rude and ruin this. But¡­something just didn¡¯t sit right by her. ¡°I¡­I¡­¡± The words got stuck in her throat. Between her holding back a maelstrom of pain, the fear of destroying this blessing and the overwhelming joy, it was just too hard to put into words.

    Something cracked. The dam broke. Tears streamed out her eyes. ¡°T-thank you.¡± She said between sobs. ¡°Thank you so much¡­you don¡¯t know how much this all means to me.¡±

    Immediately, the mother had taken her into her arms and pressed a kiss to her forehead. ¡°It¡¯s okay, dear. I don¡¯t know how or why you¡¯re so upset¡­but it¡¯s okay now.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­yeah! It¡¯ll be okay! You¡¯re our friend now!¡± Ionyr said, hesitantly at first, but quickly stood up and smiled optimistically, placing his hand on her shoulder.

    ¡°Indeed!¡± Ielus quickly followed, doing the same. ¡°I¡¯ll never let anyone hurt you again!¡±

    ¡°Thank you¡­thank you so much¡­¡± Rayza sobbed, hugging the woman tightly. Never had she experienced this comforting warmth. It¡¯s like part of her soul, empty for far too long, had finally been filled in. She could hear a soft hum.

    The mother was singing a lullaby - just like the mother in the book! Was this real? Could it really be true? Or was this just another pipe dream?

    Whatever the answer was, as the heavy sobs racking her body began to subside, so did the light of her consciousness. The exhaustion finally kicked in, after all this time.

    No matter. At this moment, she felt warm.

    Her vision went white.

    <hr>

    ¡°The female¡­it seems her past was dark and troubled. The male finally gave her light - she appreciates it more than any other. She will do well to impart this warmth to the Star. But what else can she teach? Let us look a little further.¡±

 Chapter 7 - Those who protect

    Rayza blinked. There was a faint warmth in her chest - her spirit felt light, as though she¡¯d just shed a great weight. Though once she placed her hand on it to check, it had already faded. She was disappointed - she liked that feeling. However, as fast as the sensation disappeared, so did her memory of it. What was she doing again?

    ¡°You okay?¡± Ielus asked, looking concerned.

    ¡°Yeah. Just spaced out a little.¡± She replied, nodding as she regained her bearings.

    Right, they were on their way to the bluff Ielus had mentioned. In order to do so, they were following the creek, which had steadily grown wider. Ionyr was in front, happily chopping his way through the towering reeds with a knife, he grabbed from his mother¡¯s kitchen along with a fitting leather sheath.

    ¡°Here we are.¡± Ionyr said as he hacked through another bunch of reeds. Placing the knife in the sheath on his belt, he parted the stems to reveal a steep wall of rock. Scattered over it were small growths of dark green moss.

    ¡°Rocksplitters!¡± Ielus excitedly ran past his brother and examined the moss closely. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I get to see it.¡±

    He plucked off a little and put it into a small pocket in his knapsack. He took good care to not spill any dirt on the books inside the bag, which Rayza had snuck out for him. Ielus had been incredibly appreciative that she¡¯d grabbed not one, but two thick books about aquatic life for him, and had taken great care of them so far.

    ¡°Rocksplitters?¡± Ionyr scratched his chin, examining the moss. ¡°Why¡¯s it called that?¡±

    ¡°The moss digs its way deep into rocks to access the freshwater below.¡± Rayza said, stepping past him and kneeling down beside Ielus. Plucking off a small chunk, she sniffed it tentatively. ¡°It¡¯s also known for its earthy scent.¡± She held it up for him to have a whiff.

    ¡°Hm. Smells like fresh rainfall.¡± He smiled. ¡°I kinda like it. Think you can grow some more, Ielus?¡±

    ¡°Hard to say.¡± Ielus stood up and crossed his arms. ¡°Rocksplitters need fresh water - really fresh, straight from the source. It¡¯ll be hard to grow at home¡­but I¡¯ll give it a shot.¡± He gave Rayza a wink. ¡°If you can snag me some botany books, I¡¯m sure I¡¯d be able to.¡±

    She nodded and dusted off her hands. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±

    ¡°By the way,¡± Ionyr piped in, ¡°where did you say those ancient fish were sighted?¡±

    ¡°It was shellfish, brother.¡± Ielus said with a sigh, before pointing at the sheer cliff before them. ¡°And Ol¡¯ Goldie said the travellers saw ¡®em in the spring.¡±

    ¡°So, near the source of the creek?¡± Ionyr kneeled down next to it. ¡°We should probably follow it, then.¡±

    ¡°Alright then. After you, Leader.¡± Rayza said, giggling.

    ¡°About that.¡± Ionyr stood up, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow. ¡°Why do you call me the Leader?¡±

    Rayza froze and put a finger to her chin. ¡°Um¡­just because¡­you¡¯re always the one who decides where we go.¡± She nervously met his gaze. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°Hmm. If you put it that way¡­¡± Ionyr said, closing his eyes to think, before shooting a glance to his brother. ¡°You good with that, Ielus?¡±

    ¡°I suppose¡­¡± Ielus grumbled. ¡°You are always running ahead of us. Might as well be.¡±

    ¡°Guess I¡¯m the Leader then.¡± Ionyr grinned ever so slightly before turning around. ¡°Let¡¯s go, team! After me!¡±

    ¡°Brother, don¡¯t you dare-!¡± Ielus couldn¡¯t even finish his sentence before Ionyr charged into the underbrush. Rayza blinked, trying to process the situation. Exchanging a glance with Ielus, he sighed and wagged his finger at her. Did she just mess up?

    ¡°You did this. Now we have to chase after him.¡± Heaving his knapsack onto his back, he started running - albeit with some difficulty. ¡°Quickly now, before that idiot gets lost.¡± He panted, parting the bushes for her to run through.

    ¡°R-right.¡± As she went by him, she gave him an apologetic look. ¡°Sorry, Ielus.¡±

    Ielus¡¯s eyes softened, and he smiled slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t be. A frown doesn¡¯t suit you.¡±

    Rayza smiled back before taking off after Ionyr, who¡¯d already gained a sizable head start. Making it through the woods was quite difficult on its own - coupling that with catching up to Ionyr made it damn near torture. No matter how fast her legs moved, he only seemed to shrink, gaining more and more distance on them.

    Looking behind her, she could see Ielus following her at some distance as well, panting and heaving from carrying the heavy bag on his back. When he noticed her looking back, he curled his lips upward slightly, trying to put on a brave face - but his exhaustion was more than evident. His steps were slowing and becoming heavier with every second.

    Eventually, he stopped entirely, keeling over to catch his breath. ¡°Go¡­go on¡­ahead. I¡¯ll¡­catch up.¡± He said, pointing ahead. ¡°Catch that¡­that idiot and¡­get him to¡­stop. Tie¡­tie him up¡­if you have to.¡±

    ¡°S-sure thing!¡± Rayza replied, doing her best to not laugh at Ielus¡¯ ¡®brotherly love¡¯. Jumping over roots and ducking under branches, she kept up her sprint as long as she could. Yet despite her best efforts, eventually, her stamina waned, and she slowed down. Panting for fresh air, she looked ahead and saw Ionyr still at full speed. ¡°How¡­in the damn¡­¡±

    She felt the urge to vomit. Looks like she went too fast for her own good. But she couldn¡¯t just let him run off, either. So, taking one deep breath, she leaned back.

    ¡°GET BACK HERE, YOU DAMN IDIOT!¡± Rayza yelled, throwing her head forward, as though the motion would help catapult her voice further.

    By the Spirits, that scream took the wind out of her. Keeling over, she heaved in air, trying her best to refill her body. Bile rose in her throat, and she barely managed to keep it down. Remembering all the times her father vomited after a long night of drinking, she felt a small sense of understanding for him. If she felt this shitty every morning, she¡¯d also be having horrible mood swings.

    ¡°Rayza? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ionyr said, concerned.

    ¡°Huh?!¡± Rayza jolted up, seeing him seemingly appear out of thin air. ¡°Where¡­how¡­¡±

    ¡°You look a little out of it.¡± He scratched his chin. ¡°You okay?¡±

    Her mind drew a blank. How could she be mad if he was this concerned? Sighing, she tried to calm her breathing enough to hold a conversation. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m fine.¡± Rayza forced a smile, but gripped him by his shirt. ¡°Please don¡¯t run off like that.¡±

    ¡°Run?¡± Ionyr looked genuinely confused. ¡°I was jogging.¡±

    ¡°...you were what?¡± Rayza felt faint. Was it her shortness of breath?

    ¡°Jogging. I was trying to go slow, for you guys.¡± He continued, looking around. ¡°Actually, where¡¯s Ielus?¡±

    Rayza always thought she was physically fit. She could run for a while without tiring, and get from one end of the village to the other in a shorter time than most. Now, all of a sudden, she felt deeply insecure about her physical abilities. Was she that weak?

    ¡°Ielus is carrying a bag, remember?¡± She said, trying to push down those thoughts. ¡°The one full of books?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but it can¡¯t be slowing him down that much.¡±

    Is this guy for real? Rayza was starting to understand Ielus¡¯ frustrations. Shaking her head and sighing, she gave him an annoyed look. ¡°Idiot.¡± He opened his mouth to protest, but she shushed him with a finger. ¡°Don¡¯t argue. Just wait.¡±

    ¡°But-¡± He still tried it, but she silenced him again.

    ¡°Shhh. No buts.¡± Rayza¡¯s tone left no room for argument. She was done chasing him through the woods.

    Seeing her not budging, he sighed and sat down beside a tree, pouting. ¡°Fine.¡±

    She sat down beside him, satisfied with herself. As time passed and Ielus still didn¡¯t show, her satisfaction began to dwindle. Had she been too harsh on Ionyr? He really seemed down. And despite her annoyance, she didn¡¯t want to see him frown. Thinking about how she could cheer him up, she began absent-mindedly drawing circles in the ground.

    Suddenly, Ionyr tapped her on the shoulder. ¡°Do you have some paper on you? And a pen?¡± He asked, an excited glint in his eye. What happened? It was like he was a different person.

    ¡°Y-yeah. One moment.¡± She said, digging through her pouch. ¡°Why?¡±

    Handing him her small notebook and pen she stole from her father, she watched as Ionyr began to draw circles on the paper. They were crude and uneven, and he punctured the paper every so often. Rayza eventually recognized the layout: Ionyr was drawing a map. The same map he¡¯d drawn in the dirt of their base.

    ¡°Curses.¡± He muttered as he accidentally pierced the paper again. Yet he still kept going, trying his best to draw even lines. When he¡¯d finished remaking the map from their base, he marked down the X¡¯s - before stopping entirely. He stared at the messy map, pen resting on the paper.

    ¡°Ionyr?¡± Rayza asked, placing a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    ¡°Y-yeah. It¡¯s just...¡± He laughed awkwardly. ¡°I can¡¯t write.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Really? But if you can read, why can¡¯t you write?¡± She asked, shocked. His cheeks went red, and he averted his eyes.

    ¡°About that¡­¡± He chuckled nervously. ¡°I can¡¯t read, either. Pathetic, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Rayza had never even considered the possibility. Growing up as the daughter of a Scholar of the Order meant that she was always surrounded by books - her father taught her the basics of reading and writing at a very young age. It had been so long ago she couldn¡¯t remember a time when she wasn¡¯t able to.

    She suddenly felt a renewed appreciation for her upbringing. Because now¡­

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡­she could do this.

    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you.¡± She said with a smile. Ionyr¡¯s eyes shimmered with a renewed sense of joy. ¡°But first, give me back my notebook. I can¡¯t leave our map unfinished.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing!¡± He handed her back her notebook and watched as she ripped out his drawing. ¡°Hey, what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t write on a torn page. You really need to get your strength under control.¡± Rayza said, before putting pen to paper and drawing the map anew. Unlike Ionyr, her softer touch didn¡¯t tear the page, and her greater control allowed her to draw smoother, cleaner lines that showed the area in clear detail.

    Yet, after finishing the first sketch, which just consisted of the map in their base, she felt unsatisfied. There were so many details missing from it. So Rayza started adding small touches, like a long line for the creek, small triangles as stand-ins for the woods around the village and a large semi circle for the bluff.

    She started really getting into it after a short while, even going so far as to mark their houses and small landmarks they¡¯d passed by. Eventually, she put the pen aside and gazed over her work, a satisfied smirk on her face.

    ¡°Whoa¡­you¡¯re good at this.¡± Ionyr said, looking over her shoulder, marvelling at her work.

    ¡°You think?¡± Rayza turned to face him, only to suddenly realise that his face was inches away from hers. Yelping, she jolted away. Unfortunately, her hand got stuck under a root, making her fall over face first into the dirt. Good. That way, he didn¡¯t see the massive blush on her face.

    ¡°Yikes, that looks like it hurt. You okay, Rayza?¡± He asked, kneeling down beside her and rubbing her back.

    ¡°Peachy.¡± She grumbled, trying to suppress a frustrated scream. ¡°Everything¡¯s¡­peachy.¡±

    ¡°If you say so. Why did you jump like that, anyway?¡± He asked, making her pray to the Spirits for salvation. Please, send anything, anyone to help her avoid this question!

    ¡°Finally found you guys.¡±

    Praise be to the mighty Spirits!

    ¡°Oh, there you are. Took you long enough, Ielus.¡± Ionyr said, standing up.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear one word from you, brother.¡± Ielus snapped back, before pausing briefly. ¡°What¡¯s up with Rayza?¡±

    ¡°Dunno. She was drawing a really good map, then all of a sudden jumped up and fell flat on her face.¡± Ionyr said, blissfully unaware of his own guilt in this.

    ¡°It was your fault, idiot!¡± Rayza thought to herself, despite being grateful for his ignorance.

    ¡°And when exactly would you have helped her up?¡± Ielus said, sighing and kneeling down beside her. ¡°Rise and shine, princess.¡± He shook her, and she grumpily pushed herself to her knees.

    Dusting off her face, she noticed Ielus extending a hand. ¡°Thank you.¡± She said, politely smiling and allowing herself to be lifted up. ¡°How kind of you.¡±

    ¡°One of us had to inherit our mother¡¯s kindness.¡± Ielus said with a cheeky grin. ¡°Though when it comes to brute strength¡­¡± He shot a glance at Ionyr and sighed sadly. ¡°I¡¯m afraid my brother kept that all to himself.¡±

    ¡°So I noticed.¡± Rayza said, giggling. The two shared a laugh at Ionyr¡¯s expense, who crossed his arms.

    ¡°If you two are done¡­¡± He jutted his thumb towards the way he¡¯d run earlier. ¡°I found a path leading up the bluff.¡± They stopped laughing and began listening intently. ¡°Got your attention now, huh?¡± He laughed.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Enough of that, what did you see?¡± Ielus impatiently urged his brother to continue.

    A grin spread on Ionyr¡¯s face as he pointed up. ¡°The creek led up onto the bluff¡­and into a cave.¡± He said, rubbing his hands in anticipation. ¡°Ielus, Rayza¡­let¡¯s go spelunking.¡±

    <hr>

    The cave¡¯s entrance was located in a small clearing, with the grass having been stamped out - likely by dozens of animals coming by daily for a drink. With the hill being incredibly steep, the water from the small creek had turned into a loud, steady stream barreling down into a small pond. As they entered the cave, Rayza examined the walls.

    ¡°It¡¯s made of dirt.¡± She realised, breaking off a chunk and showing it off to the others.

    ¡°Like our home base?¡± Ionyr asked, giddily looking around. ¡°Cool!¡±

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    ¡°Yes, like our home base.¡± She said, smiling at his antics. Despite it all, she did find his excitement rather charming.

    The entrance led into a small tunnel, big enough for an adult to walk through if they bent over. Being teens, they had no such problem, and they forged ahead, excited to see what lay at the end. The water stream had disappeared into the earth, but they could still faintly hear it splashing through the walls.

    Eventually, the tunnel opened into an underground dome, about two to three times the size of Ielus¡¯ garden.

    ¡°Whoa¡­¡± Rayza muttered wistfully as she took in the sight.

    The ceiling had a hole in the centre, letting in the afternoon sun. Right beneath the hole was a lake that took up around half the area. At its bottom was a kind of round, shimmering rock, off of which the light refracted and illuminated the entire dome. The walls, too, were littered with life - from Rocksplitter roots aiming for the lake, to Splittersnails munching on said roots, to¡­some other kind of shellfish.

    Come to think of it, she didn¡¯t recognize that one. It was larger than most others, uncomfortably large. Its size was around an arm¡¯s length, and it had a tough-looking green shell, adorned with a few black scales in its thorax. Long, feather-like appendages lined its sides, coloured white with red tips. Opposite its tailfin was a head from which two stalks branched off, with a large, spherical eye at each end. Beneath its head were two thick claws, which were currently busy digging into the dirt.

    Something was nagging at the back of her mind, but she couldn¡¯t tell what it was.

    ¡°This is it!¡± Ielus said, fearlessly running up to it while scrambling for his notebook in his bag. ¡°This is the shellfish Goldie mentioned!¡±

    Oh yeah. Rayza remembered seeing a sketch of it years ago in one of her father¡¯s dustiest tomes - though there was still something bugging her.

    ¡°Looks kind of goofy.¡± Ionyr said, ripping her from her thoughts. He walked up to it and tapped its scaly hide. ¡°What did you say this was called?¡±

    Rayza and Ielus answered simultaneously.

    ¡°It¡¯s an Anoranth Shrimp.¡± Rayza said, her tone betraying her hesitance and fear upon seeing this large critter.

    ¡°It¡¯s an Anoranth Shrimp!¡± Ielus shared none of her concerns, instead devoting himself to giddily studying every inch of this specimen. He was carefully observing the shrimp and doing his best to sketch it - admittedly, he was even more skilled than Rayza with the pen. ¡°Brother, can you take it off the wall and flip it? I would like to draw its belly too.¡±

    ¡°No problem.¡± Ionyr grabbed the shrimp without hesitation and pulled. It dug its claws into the dirt,trying its best to stick to the wall while letting out a high pitched wail. Rayza kind of pitied the poor thing - the wailing sounded kind of cute.

    ¡°Come on¡­get off!¡± Ionyr grumbled, pushing his feet into the ground and pulling harder than before. In response, it started wailing even louder. Rayza could see its front claws starting to give, tired from the struggle.

    She couldn¡¯t bear it any longer. ¡°Stop!¡± She cried, running over to the boys. Grabbing Ionyr¡¯s arm, she pulled it off of the critter. ¡°Can¡¯t you see you¡¯re hurting it?¡±

    Ionyr looked taken aback. His arm slacked as the critter dug its claws back into the wall, holding on tightly. While it stopped wailing, it was eyeing the three suspiciously.

    ¡°I¡­guess I was.¡± He said, casting his gaze at the ground, guilt written across his face. ¡°Sorry, buddy.¡± He patted the shrimp¡¯s head and sighed before heading over to the lake¡¯s shore. Squatting down beside it, he began skipping stones. Rayza realised she may have been overly harsh again.

    Before she could go to his side, Ielus tugged at her sleeve to get her attention. ¡°Rayza.¡± He said, looking a little stern. ¡°I wasn¡¯t done sketching.¡±

    ¡°Wh-¡± Rayza couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. ¡°Didn¡¯t you listen to its cries? You two were hurting it!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but-¡± Ielus tapped his fingers on his sketchbook. Glancing between her and his drawing, he eventually sighed and faced her with a softer expression. ¡°Do you know why I was so excited to find the Anoranth?¡±

    ¡°No, you never told me.¡± Rayza said, crossing her arms. This better be a damn good explanation.

    ¡°Everyone thinks the Anoranth is extinct - but now we see it here, in the flesh. A fragment of the past, a time capsule that survived centuries, if not eons.¡± He stood up, stepping closer to the shrimp, softly rubbing its scaly shell. ¡°Who knows how accurate our books are about it? How much has been forgotten?¡±

    Picking up his sketchbook, he continued. ¡°That¡¯s why I wanted to - no, needed to find it. In order to document everything there is to know about it, to see how much our modern knowledge holds up. How much I can trust it.¡± Facing her, he shut the book.

    ¡°And yes, Rayza. I am willing to inflict a little discomfort onto the Anoranth for it. If this relic of the past can help us in the present, then I think that¡¯s a price worth paying.¡± Ielus¡¯ eyes burned with a deep, unyielding resolve. ¡°I refuse to let anything else be forgotten. It¡¯s too much, a cost far too great - always.¡±

    Rayza took a step back. She¡¯d never seen Ielus this passionate before. Yes, he had the occasional outburst like his brother, but now he seemed¡­different. Like he¡¯d revealed the depths of his heart, what truly moved him. She felt like she was gazing at the real Ielus. His eyes suddenly softened. He opened his mouth, and¡­

    ¡°Look out!¡± Ionyr shouted, suddenly tackling them both to the ground. Not a moment too soon. Something large and massive swung by right where they were just standing. Rayza froze as her eyes trailed after the shadow.

    She remembered what it was that bugged her about the Anoranth. What they¡¯d tampered with before¡­

    That was the juvenile.

    The massive creature climbing out of the lake? Most likely the mother. And most definitely pissed.

    It had a blue shell and stood on two short, bulky legs. Its body was more than double the length of its child. A long tail, around arm¡¯s length and adorned with thick black spikes, was jerking around angrily at having missed its targets.

    The spherical eyes of the juvenile were embedded into the shell, with only narrow slits for it to see - focused on them, filled with killing intent. And with its claws being triple the size¡­that would be no issue. They looked thick and sharp enough to cleave stone in two!

    ¡°Run!¡± Ionyr said, pushing himself to his feet. But it was no use. Rayza was frozen in fear. Meeting the mother¡¯s furious gaze made her tremble. Her knees were weak, her mind blank - there was nothing she could do. Maybe this was for the best. After all, they tampered with these animals who were just living in peace. If it were the mother from the story - if it were her own child¡­

    ¡°Get up!¡± Ionyr suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. ¡°We need to go, now!¡±

    She tried to protest, but the words got stuck in her throat as the Anoranth jumped off the wall and scuttled up to its mother. The adult coed and gently pushed her child into the water with her tail, ensuring its safety before focusing on the intruders.

    Rayza was mesmerised by the display of motherhood. Maybe¡­what she read in the stories could be real, after all.

    It growled as it stepped closer. She gulped.

    ¡°Snap out of it, Rayza! You too, Ielus!¡± Ionyr shook them, but to no avail. Ielus looked like he was going to die of a heart attack before the animal ever got to him. ¡°Spirits¡¯ sake¡­!¡±

    Grabbing their wrists, Ionyr started running for the entrance tunnel. With a roar, the Anoranth gave chase, trying to cut off their escape. However, Ionyr was faster, even while dragging the two of them.

    When the Anoranth noticed, it spun around and swung its tail - aimed square at Rayza¡¯s back. Suddenly, as the spikes closed in, her survival instincts kicked in. Time seemed to slow as she realised she wouldn¡¯t be able to dodge - if she ducked, it would knock her head clean off. If she jumped, she¡¯d lose a leg. If she didn¡¯t do anything¡­she died anyway.

    ¡°Not today!¡± Ionyr let go of her hand and jumped into the swing. He managed to catch the tail¡¯s non-spiked midsection. Grunting as it pushed him, he somehow succeeded in stopping it completely. Turns out, the tail was incredibly immobile thanks to the shell, ensuring that it couldn¡¯t wiggle to graze them with the spikes.

    ¡°Run!¡± He yelled, and this time Rayza was lucid enough to act.

    ¡°Yes, Leader!¡± She yelled back, grabbing Ielus¡¯ wrist and running toward the exit. It wasn¡¯t far by any means - Ionyr had carried them far enough. Looking back, she could see the Anoranth tear its tail from his grip, causing Ionyr to stagger forward before it spun the other way. It hit him square in the back with incredible force, sending him flying through the air with a pained scream. He landed on the floor, coughing heavily.

    ¡°No!¡± She cried, only to regret it immediately upon seeing it turn its attention towards her. ¡°Oh no.¡±

    Letting out a deep roar, it charged at her. Glancing at Ionyr, she bit her lip. He was still dazed, trying to get up. If she ran now, it would definitely block the exit, and he¡¯d¡­

    ¡°I¡¯ll distract it. You go grab that idiot.¡± Ielus whispered into her ear, before darting off towards the lake shore, opposite of where Ionyr was struggling to push himself up. The Anoranth, seeing him going near her children, immediately changed course and ran after him instead.

    Rayza quickly seized the opportunity and ran to Ionyr¡¯s side. Thankfully there was enough space in the room for Ielus to run about and distract the beast. Kneeling down beside Ionyr, she grabbed his hand and pulled him to his knees.

    ¡°You okay?¡± She asked, worried. He nodded.

    ¡°Peachy. Where¡¯s Ielus?¡± He asked, looking around, before his eyes widened. ¡°Ielus! What are you doing?!¡±

    ¡°What does it look like, genius?!¡± Ielus retorted, doing his best to avoid being pressed into a corner. However, as he ran and jumped along the shore¡­he slipped and fell to his knees. The Anoranth was upon him.

    ¡°No!¡± Ionyr made a step, only to keel over, coughing blood. His eyes suddenly fixated on the water.

    ¡°S-stay away!¡± Ielus stammered, doing his best to crawl away from the beast, who was raising its claw to tear him asunder.

    Rayza was frozen in fear. Was she about to see Ielus die? No, she didn¡¯t want that. What should she do? What could she do? Nothing came to mind.

    There was a sudden loud splash from the lake.

    ¡°Hey, ugly!¡± Ionyr yelled, raising up the baby Anoranth, which started squeaking for its mother. ¡°Look what I got!¡±

    The mother immediately turned its attention to him. Her eyes were filled with unyielding, horrified anger. It dove into the lake head-first, swimming over to their side with break-neck speed.

    ¡°Now¡¯s our chance! Go!¡± Ionyr screamed at the top of his lungs, tossing the baby back into the water. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, Rayza! Just run!¡±

    Didn¡¯t have to tell her twice. She took off as fast as her legs could take her. Glancing at the other side of the lake, Ielus was doing the same. Come to think of it, he was way faster now than before¡­

    Where was his knapsack?

    Her father¡­what kind of punishment would he inflict on her if she lost those books? She stopped and scanned the cave in a panic, searching for the bag. There! Just over there, by the wall! She¡¯d stopped just in time. Lucky!

    Rayza darted towards the wall. It would be fine. They were right there, it was a small detour. See? She was already there. All the books were already in the bag. Throwing it on her back, she stood up. Wait, there was Ielus¡¯ sketchbook, right there on the way to the exit. Perfect! Running towards it, she bent over to grab it.

    There was a loud splash, followed by a thick thump. It was right behind her.

    ¡°Rayza, run!¡± The brothers shouted from the exit. When did they get so far ahead? How were they supposed to help her if¡­

    A cold sweat formed on her brow as the severity of her situation dawned on her. Quickly, now. She grabbed the sketchbook and ran for the exit. Roaring, its footsteps followed her.

    They were getting closer with every thump. Rayza realised now why Ielus had taken so long to catch up earlier.

    There was nothing to bail her out this time. Ionyr wouldn¡¯t be able to grab the baby again. Ielus wouldn¡¯t be able to distract it again, not when it was this close to catching her. Anoranth were carnivores after all. Come to think of it, didn¡¯t they eat their prey¡­alive¡­?

    Rayza tripped - too distracted by her thoughts that she didn¡¯t see the small one climbing out of the lake to swipe at her feet. Falling to her knees, she felt it grab on tightly and squeak for its mother.

    She looked up, seeing its two claws raised, ready to cleave her in two. This is it. This is where she died. Closing her eyes, she resigned herself to her fate. The beast roared, and its claws sliced through the air.

    Suddenly, the Anoranth juvenile squeaked as there was a pull on her leg. Rayza was dragged along the floor, and she felt the juvenile flying off her leg, dropping into the lake with a loud splash. Opening her eyes, she saw Ionyr standing over her. He had pulled her away from the beast¡¯s slash.

    ¡°I thought I was supposed to be the idiot here.¡± He said, with a disappointed, almost angry tone as he drew his knife. ¡°Seriously, who risks their life over some stupid books?¡± She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

    ¡°Let¡¯s dance, ugly!¡± He yelled furiously, leaping at its back, knife raised. As the beast turned around, he stabbed it in its chest.

    The blade snapped with a high pitched crack. Ionyr stared at it, dumbfounded.

    ¡°Well, that went way better in my head.¡± He said as the beast roared in his face, raising its claws yet again. ¡°Oh, shit!¡±

    He ducked under its swing and placed the knife in his mouth. Then, using its sturdy legs as a stepping stone, he vaulted up to its head. With the power in his jump, he managed to flip straight over its head, grabbing its jaws as he did.

    Normally, he was much too small to topple such a tough beast. But with his immense momentum, he was able to make the Anoranth fall over backwards. As it lay on his back, stunned from the impact, he drew his knife. Bloodlust flashed across his face, and a wicked smile formed on his lips. Raising his weapon, he prepared to bring it down onto the beast¡¯s eye.

    A scared squeak made him stop. Glancing at the lake, he saw the juvenile shivering in the lake. Hesitating for a moment, he looked back at the adult, which was regaining its senses. Shaking his head, he sheathed the knife and ran over to Rayza, scooping her up in his arms with a dark expression.

    ¡°We¡¯re leaving.¡± He said sternly, breaking into a quick jog.

    ¡°Y-yeah.¡± She stammered, her cheeks heating up. Wasn¡¯t this called¡­bridal style? And more importantly, how was Ionyr still this fast after everything that happened? It was like he never took that hit at all!

    Ielus waited for them at the exit, and together they rushed out of the cave, not stopping until they were far, far away from the cave.

    ¡°Give me a minute.¡± Ielus eventually said, the exhaustion written plainly across his face. ¡°I¡¯m not a crazy monster like you, brother.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± Ionyr said, his face still tense. ¡°We can rest a moment.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Leader.¡± Ielus said sarcastically, before leaning against a tree and letting himself drop onto the ground. His breaths were deep and uneven. Unlike Ionyr¡¯s, which were focused and shallow.

    ¡°Um¡­¡± Rayza piped up, raising her hand. ¡°Could you¡­let me down¡­? Please?¡± The butterflies were going crazy from being held so closely. Ionyr¡¯s arms and hands had a tight grip on her, yet¡­they felt nice, somehow. Secure. Safe. But she couldn¡¯t bear the butterflies much longer - and her cheeks felt so hot they might explode.

    ¡°Oh. Uh, sure.¡± Ionyr said, breaking from his thoughts. ¡°Sorry.¡± He leaned down and let her onto her feet.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be.¡± She said, smiling widely. ¡°You saved me, Leader.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­I guess so.¡± He stared at the ground. ¡°I saved you¡­¡± He unsheathed his knife and looked at his reflection in it. Mumbling something under his breath, he sat on the ground.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Rayza asked, sitting herself next to him. ¡°You look down.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± Ionyr ran his finger across the knife¡¯s edge. ¡°I almost killed its mother.¡± His finger started to bleed, but he didn¡¯t stop running it across the edge. ¡°After you told me not to hurt it, too.¡±

    ¡°Ionyr¡­stop. Your hand¡­¡± Rayza whispered, worried. She¡¯d never seen him like this before.

    ¡°And before that, I almost tore it to pieces. The baby.¡± He pressed his finger deeper into the blade. Surely, it was cutting to the bone by now. ¡°Even before that, with you two¡­¡± Ionyr gave her a guilty look, his eyes wet. ¡°I am an idiot after all. I just don¡¯t know when to quit. If I did, I wouldn¡¯t be causing all this trouble. For you, for Ielus and for my Mom.¡±

    Rayza placed her hand on his wrist and pulled the knife away.

    ¡°Stop.¡± She said firmly. ¡°You saved me. Nothing else matters.¡±

    He paused briefly. ¡°I am the reason it attacked us.¡± Ionyr¡¯s eyes were overflowing with guilty tears. ¡°I¡¯d say that matters.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rayza said, her eyes widening.

    ¡°After I let go of the baby one, I skipped stones. That¡¯s when I saw it. Under the surface.¡± Ionyr gripped the knife tightly.

    ¡°There was an underground tunnel, that¡¯s where it came from. It was drawn by the stones. And in that little tunnel, there were plenty of small eggs - some had hatched, too.¡± He continued, before stabbing the knife into the tree root beneath him. It splintered, causing wooden fragments to shoot in all directions, most of them embedding themselves in his arm.

    ¡°It was feeding its children a batch of Bassingers it¡¯d just caught. Just like¡­¡± He didn¡¯t even have to say it. Rayza and Ielus shared a glance of shocking realisation. ¡°We just walked into their nest, their home, and almost killed their mother.¡±

    Ionyr grit his teeth, frustrated and guilt-ridden. ¡°I¡¯m a monster.¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Rayza yelled, slapping him. He paused to process it, then turned to her with a stunned expression. She herself took a moment, too. Her hand hurt, probably more than his face did.

    ¡°Why¡­?¡± He muttered, but she honestly couldn¡¯t answer his question. By all accounts, he was a monster. But she didn¡¯t care. He saved her. That¡¯s all that mattered.

    Following her instincts, she pressed her lips to his other cheek.

    ¡°What the-¡±Ielus shouted indignantly.

    ¡°What the-¡±Ionyr stammered at the same moment.

    Rayza¡¯s cheeks were flushed. Yeah, what the hell was she doing?!

    ¡°Y-you saved me.¡± She mumbled. ¡°That¡¯s all that matters, okay?¡±

    Ionyr and Ielus shared a glance of pure, unadulterated confusion.

    ¡°Yeah, but did you need to kiss him to convey that?¡± Ielus asked, raising his eyebrow as he crossed his arms.

    ¡°Yeah, I agree with Ielus.¡± Ionyr said, scratching his head before chuckling. ¡°I mean, it was kind of nice after you slapped me though.¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Rayza buried her face in her hands. ¡°Idiots! You¡¯re both idiots!¡±

    Standing up, she began running home.

    ¡°Hey, what did I do?!¡± Ielus yelled in an offended tone.

    ¡°Welcome to the club, Ielus.¡± Ionyr said, laughing loudly.

    She hated them. She hated them both so much right now. But in some corner of her heart, despite everything that had transpired today, she was still grateful for it all.

    Rayza had never felt this alive in her entire life.

    Her vision went white.

    <hr>

    An interesting burn. Many things to dissect.

    The male is braver than expected. A good leader, and protective. He will keep the Star safe from others.

    The female can keep him under control. She will keep the Star safe from the male, should the need arise.

    There is one more memory burned deeply into her soul. Let us investigate it and conclude this test.

 Chapter 8 - The Wall falls

    ¡°Farewell. I¡¯m sorry for being such a lousy father.¡±

    Rayza gasped as her eyes shot open. Cold sweat had gathered on her brow, and her heart was beating out of her chest. Her breath was hasty and uneven. It was that nightmare again. Yet, despite her body¡¯s visceral reaction, there was this oddly vibrant, joyful feeling lingering in her chest. Before she could attempt to grasp its nature, it disappeared.

    Taking a moment to compose herself, she found herself sitting in a chair beside her bed. It was dark out, and the air was cold - autumn was here, and it was coming in through the open window. Her mind was still a little fuzzy, but even in this state, she could tell there was something off. It smelled¡­nice. Where was the familiar smell of rotten ale that usually pervaded her home?

    Glancing at her door, she could see it open, allowing her to see a perfectly tidy hallway. Where were all those books that usually lay strewn across the floor?

    Most importantly of all, why was it so quiet? Where was the loud, ear-shattering snoring of¡­wait, she could hear snoring - albeit subdued. Rayza looked back at her bed, finding a girl in it that was happily dozing. Recognizing her as Goldie¡¯s granddaughter Sally, Rayza finally remembered.

    ¡°Right¡­¡± She mumbled, leaning back in her chair. It had been almost three months since¡­that happened. As the image of that smug Order captain appeared in her mind, Rayza involuntarily grit her teeth. ¡°Scum.¡± She thought as she stood up, going to close the window.

    As she walked past the bed, she accidentally hit something with her foot. It slid across the floorboards and hit the wall under her bed - it sounded like paper. Was it¡­? Hastily dropping to all fours to check, Rayza found her suspicions confirmed.

    There was a familiar, cutesy-looking cover barely illuminated by the bright moonlight under her bed. It was face-down on the floor, the pages dangerously close to a badly hammered nail. Luckily it didn¡¯t rip the pages, she thought as she reached out to grab the book. Carefully lifting it over the nail, she pulled it out.

    ¡°A pipe dream.¡± Rayza mumbled as she examined the cover in the moonlight. It looked just like she remembered - but for some reason, the vibrant pink appeared more dull than it used to. Was it the time it spent out of her father¡¯s bookshelf taking its toll? Or was it her jaded eyes perceiving it like this?

    Rayza¡¯s hands shook. Whatever the answer was, she wouldn¡¯t like it anyway. So why bother asking the question? Instead, she should close the window. Would help with the shivering - and she wouldn¡¯t want the poor girl sleeping in bed to catch a cold. Sally had enough on her plate as-is. Her father, too, had been taken by the Order.

    There was a knock at the door. Sighing, Rayza closed the window, shooting one last glance at the outside before shutting the blinds. The moon was obscured by fog, she noted as she headed into the hallway. There was another knock, more energetic this time.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Coming.¡± She mumbled, reaching for the doorknob. However, as her hand touched the cool metal, a sudden sense of paranoia struck her. She was still holding the book - what if it was the captain coming back to take it from her? Sure, he¡¯d said it wasn¡¯t important to the Order¡­but what if that bastard changed his mind on a whim, just to screw with her? She wouldn¡¯t put it past him.

    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Rayza asked, hands and voice trembling.

    Why, though? Why was she so attached to this book? It had brought her nothing but disappointment over the years. Was it because it was the only thing she had left of her father? But even then, why would she care? He¡¯d been a lousy father after all¡­right¡­?

    ¡°Rayza, open the door.¡± She knew that voice. ¡°It¡¯s Ionyr.¡±

    Sighing, Rayza loosened her grip on the doorknob. She should¡¯ve known - he had come to visit her every day since the murder. Yet she never did find the strength to open the door. Instead, she¡¯d locked herself in this empty house.

    Rayza didn¡¯t want him to see her in this miserable state. She had busied herself with cleaning the house, top to bottom multiple times - thinking that since she was finally done with the deathly smell, she could enjoy a clean house. But somehow, it felt even emptier now, with the smell gone.

    It made her want to die. Might as well. This house was so empty, it might as well become her tomb.

    ¡°Rayza.¡± Ionyr¡¯s tone became softer. ¡°I want¡­no, need to know if you¡¯re okay. Please. Open the door.¡±

    Rayza stood there, staring at the doorknob. She wanted, more than anything, to grab and turn it. Jump into Ionyr¡¯s arms and bawl her eyes out. But she knew better than to do it. The last thing she wanted was to drag him down to her miserable level. So she kept staring at the doorknob, frozen in place. Like every other time he came to visit.

    She could hear a sigh come from the other side of the door, followed by a thump as he seemingly leaned against it.

    ¡°I heard you are looking after Sally.¡± Ionyr said, pausing briefly, as if thinking on how to continue. ¡°Is it¡­because her father¡­¡± He trailed off, hesitant and unsure of how to continue.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Sighing, Rayza let her head fall against the door with a thud. ¡°It¡¯s because he was taken, too.¡± She continued, clenching her fists.

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re up for this?¡± He asked softly.

    ¡°No.¡± She said harshly. ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡±

    ¡°Then why-¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the only thing I can do.¡± Rayza hissed. She would never be able to get back at that bastard for murdering her father. It was futile. Revenge was nothing more than a pipe dream. Like everything else she ever wanted.

    What else was left to her except soothing a girl in the same situation as her? Except that little girl still had stars in her eyes - she still believed daddy would come home. Lucky her, Rayza thought bitterly, after all, Sally¡¯s father was only forced to enlist in the Order¡¯s army - he might live to see her again. But Rayza¡¯s father was gone forever. There was no return from death.

    ¡°Rayza¡­I¡¯m sorry to ask this, but¡­¡± Ionyr hesitated briefly. ¡°Why are you so hung up about your father?¡±

    Rayza¡¯s fists clenched even harder. What was he saying?

    ¡°Didn¡¯t he drink all the time?¡±

    ¡°Shut up¡­¡± She whispered between grit teeth.

    ¡°And didn¡¯t he punish you unfairly every day?¡±

    ¡°Shut up¡­¡± She hissed, trembling from the intense fires of wrath burning in her chest. ¡°How do you even know all this?¡±

    ¡°My Mom. The day we first met. When I told her how you helped me, she explained everything. That¡¯s why I invited you to dinner that day.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Though I was too embarrassed to tell you it was my idea.¡±

    ¡°So from the very start, you¡­¡± Rayza muttered, holding back the urge to tear open the door and lay into him. It was an entirely irrational rage, she knew that. But it hurt beyond belief to know that her entire relationship with Ionyr and his family was built on pity. Pity that she owed her father, too. Even now, everything she had, she owed to that man.

    Rayza hated her father. So why was she so furious about all the bad things Ionyr said about him? It didn¡¯t make any damn sense!

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Ionyr said, sighing. ¡°Really, with all the stuff he did to you, I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t run away. Might¡¯ve been better off-¡±

    Rayza didn¡¯t let him finish. Grabbing the doorknob, she twisted in and yanked the door open. Pulling him by the back of his collar, she threw him into the hallway. Before he could react, she dropped herself onto his belly, pinning him down and knocking the air out of him.

    ¡°You think I don¡¯t know that?!¡± Rayza cried, punching him square in the jaw. ¡°Every single day I spent with that man was suffering!¡± She threw another punch aimed at his nose - however, Ionyr managed to catch it.

    ¡°Then why are you so upset?!¡± He shouted right back, blood running between his teeth.

    ¡°You tell me!¡± She yelled, raising her other hand to deck him. ¡°I spent three months of my life trying to figure it out, and I still don¡¯t know!¡±

    As Rayza threw the punch, Ionyr caught her wrist with blinding speed and squeezed tightly. Yelping in pain, she involuntarily unballed her fist. There was a sound of fluttering paper, followed by a soft thud. She¡¯d still been holding the book, she realised. As she gazed upon its cover, the muscles in her body slacked as the rage left her.

    Once the flames of rage left her body, she had a moment of soberness. There was nothing left clouding her vision. She could finally see her heart for what it was: small, broken and empty. Just like the place she once called home.

    Despite hating it all her life, she missed that familiar smell of rotten ale. Cleaning up the house was an empty gesture without her father to mess it up. Without his sometimes unfair punishments, there was no one she could direct her resentment towards.

    No matter how much Rayza had loathed their time together, it was all she had known. Without her father, this house wasn¡¯t much of a home. Without him¡­she had no one to call family.

    Tears welled in her eyes.

    ¡°Ionyr¡­¡± Rayza whispered, her voice quaking as the dam that held back her grief slowly gave way. ¡°Why am I so broken?¡±

    ¡°What do you¡­¡± His eyes widened as one of her tears dropped on his face.

    ¡°I hated him.¡± She pulled her hands from his loosened grip to cover her eyes, but it barely hid her sobs. ¡°So why? Why do I feel this way? Why can¡¯t I be happy?!¡±

    Rayza wailed, finally feeling the full extent of the fissure in her heart. The numbness. The emptiness. And the sadness that stemmed from it. All of it flooding her body, all at once, releasing the months of pain.

    She suddenly felt a hand on her cheek. Opening her eyes, she found Ionyr discreetly pointing behind her. Following his gesture, her heart sank further. Sally was peeking out the doorway of her room, an anxious expression on her face.

    Great, thought Rayza. First Ionyr saw her in this miserable state, and now Sally too. The girl that she was meant to cheer up. She felt Ionyr lightly tapping her thigh. Understanding his intent, she got off him, leaning against the wall, right beside a door. The tears had gotten stuck in her eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of her.¡± Ionyr whispered as he got up. ¡°You got a good place where we can keep talking?¡±

    ¡°Right here.¡± Rayza said, sniffling before tapping the door beside her. ¡°We got a reception hall.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± Ionyr pat her shoulder and stood up. ¡°Hey Sally. It¡¯s been a while.¡± He said, heading towards the bedroom. ¡°Let¡¯s get you back to sleep, alright? Me and Rayza have a few things to talk about.¡±

    Rayza quickly stepped into the reception hall, leaving Ionyr to deal with Sally. Being seen like this¡­she felt ashamed. Yet at the same time, it had eased the immense pressure in her chest. Perhaps this catharsis was what she needed all along.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    She sat down on the guest¡¯s couch in the middle of the room. It was the comfiest spot in the hall due to the blankets and pillows that were placed on it. Certainly comfier than the host¡¯s couch, which lacked cushions and sat opposite it on the other side of the table.

    Curling up into a ball, she wrapped herself in the blanket. This may be the most ornate room in the house, with various decorations lining the walls¡­yet she never truly felt comfortable in this room. Despite all the outwardly welcoming and fancy furnishing, Rayza always felt this room was the coldest in the whole house. Perhaps that was due to its actual purpose.

    After all, this couch was originally meant for dignitaries of the Ashen Order - like most scholars, her father officially worked for them. The Order provided the funds necessary for her father¡¯s research¡­among other things. The money needed for his extensive library, his drinking habit and even this very house came straight from its coffers.

    Hence why the officials would continuously check in on him to see how his research had been going. Though as far as Rayza can remember, he¡¯d never had much to show. Maybe that¡¯s why they killed him. To save money. Would explain the trumped-up charge they used as an excuse.

    Rayza looked out the window at the far side of the room. The clouds around the moon had cleared a little, illuminating the night just enough for her to see the outlines of the other homes in the distance. From this limited view, they seemed so far away.

    The door opened, stirring Rayza from her thoughts. She went deeper into fetal position, lowering her gaze and covering more of herself with the blanket. As Ionyr sat down beside her, she didn¡¯t move a muscle. He¡¯d seen the worst of her. Twice, now. After he stayed with her through the execution, she threw punches at him. She was terrified - what was he going to say?

    ¡°Rayza, I¡­¡± He hesitated, and sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not good at these sorts of talks.¡±

    ¡°Me neither.¡± She thought, remaining silent and unmoving.

    ¡°Sorry for upsetting you.¡± Ionyr turned to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Didn¡¯t mean to do that.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t apologise.¡± She said quietly, with a trembling voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for hitting you.¡±

    ¡°No need.¡± He said, chuckling. ¡°My fault for getting you upset. Though I have to say, I never knew how much you cared about your father.¡±

    ¡°You and me both.¡± Rayza thought to herself. ¡°Wish I knew why.¡±

    ¡°Say, do you know why it happened?¡± He leaned back and stared up at the ceiling. ¡°I didn¡¯t know the old man well, but I don¡¯t think he deserved it.

    ¡°Yeah. He didn¡¯t.¡± She muttered under her breath.

    ¡°When I saw them drag him out, I tried to come as fast as I could, but¡­¡± Ionyr scratched his chin. ¡°Never did find out what his crimes were.¡±

    ¡°Reading.¡± Rayza hissed. ¡°Apparently, one of the books in his possession was heretical to the Order.¡±

    ¡°...did he?¡± He said jokingly. Upon seeing her glare at him, he raised his hands. ¡°Sorry, that one was inappropriate. He does seem the type to do it, though.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­he does.¡± Rayza mumbled, sighing in defeat. ¡°But I don¡¯t remember seeing such a book.¡±

    ¡°Maybe he hid it from you?¡± Ionyr said absent-mindedly.

    ¡°Now why would he¡­¡± She scoffed at first, but when she thought about it¡­

    ¡°To protect you.¡± He concluded, scratching his chin. ¡°Just a guess, though. Might be overthinking things¡­Rayza?¡±

    She trembled as the realisation sunk in. The reason why her father had been so defensive about that bookshelf. He was afraid - afraid she might snoop too deep and find a book that could put her in danger. In fact, thinking about it, she had a sneaking suspicion on which book it was.

    ¡°Rayza, are you okay?¡± Ionyr knelt down before her, looking into her eyes with deep concern.

    ¡°Ionyr¡­¡± Rayza said, shaking as she stared through him into space. ¡°I know which book it was.¡±

    ¡°Listen, that doesn¡¯t matter right now.¡± He said, taking her hand in an attempt to comfort her - though despite his words, the curiosity was plainly written across his face.

    ¡°The book¡­it was a collection of myths and legends. It looked ancient.¡± Rayza said, gripping his hand tightly. He was already catching on. ¡°One of those myths was that of the Creators.¡± Water started pooling in her eyes once again, the newfound guilt overshadowing her shame. ¡°Ionyr, do you think I¡­?¡±

    ¡°No¡­no! It¡¯s not your fault, Rayza.¡± Ionyr shot up and pulled her into a heartfelt hug. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡±

    ¡°I took the book¡­told you the story¡­it is-¡± The words got stuck in her throat.

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± He said firmly.

    ¡°B-but I¡­¡± Her sobbing made it hard to speak. Ionyr pulled away and put a finger to her mouth.

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± He said, staring into her eyes with unwavering conviction. ¡°I won¡¯t let you blame yourself.¡±

    ¡°I¡­I¡­¡±

    Something inside Rayza snapped. Realising she could let go, completely and utterly, she dug her hands into Ionyr¡¯s back and held him tightly. He was so warm. So very, very warm. Violent sobs wracked her entire body as the tears poured out freely as she released all her held-in pain.

    ¡°Thank you¡­¡±

    Her entire life, even though she disliked him, her father was the only constant in her life. These past months, without him, she only had herself to rely on. But now, at long last, she finally had someone to lean on.

    ¡°For being here¡­¡±

    A steady rock the waves of her emotions can crash into without worry.

    Eventually, after what felt like hours, her sobs subsided. The two were still close, with Rayza leaning on Ionyr¡¯s shoulder and him gently caressing the top of her head. Her hair was completely messy, but she cared little now. It felt freeing.

    ¡°Thank you, Ionyr.¡± Rayza said, a light smile on her lips. ¡°If you weren¡¯t here, I think I would have broken for good.¡±

    ¡°No need to thank me. It¡¯s what friendship is all about.¡± He chuckled, causing her to pout. Friendship. She never knew she could hold such disdain for that word - especially after how much she¡¯d yearned for it over the years.

    ¡°Yeah¡­friends.¡± She sighed, twirling her hair. Her gaze drifted across the book on the table. The title appeared particularly mocking at this point. ¡°A pipe dream, huh?¡±

    ¡°What is?¡± Ionyr asked, and she pointed at the book.

    ¡°The name. It¡¯s ¡®A pipe dream¡¯,¡± She snorted. ¡°Speaking of which, remember the Anoranth?¡±

    ¡°That big bug in the bluff? How could I forget?¡± Ionyr said, chuckling heartily. ¡°What about it?¡±

    ¡°Ielus and I were wrong. It was never extinct in the first place.¡± Rayza said, with an empty laugh. ¡°My father told me. Apparently, the book I read was a century old, and they¡¯ve since grown in numbers.¡±

    ¡°But¡­what about Ol¡¯ Goldie?¡± Ionyr said, sounding surprisingly hurt. ¡°Why would she tell Ielus-?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a widely known fact outside of Scholar¡¯s circles.¡± She explained, shrugging. Just a perk that came with her father¡¯s status. ¡°Anoranth hide themselves quite well, and Goldie¡¯s generation was born when that book was written. That generation¡¯s false knowledge lived on to this day - which benefited the surviving Anoranth.¡±

    She sighed, leaning back and staring at the book. ¡°That adventure was nothing but a pipe dream.¡±

    ¡°They hid themselves¡­knowing they were doomed if the truth ever came out.¡± Ionyr mused, seemingly ignoring her last comment. ¡°No wonder the big one was so angry when she saw us.¡±

    ¡°She probably thought we were there to kill them.¡± Rayza said, nodding. ¡°Didn¡¯t help how you treated her baby.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, still feel guilty about that.¡± Ionyr said, laughing nervously. ¡°Though there¡¯s one baby I won¡¯t be treating like that.¡±

    He suddenly gave her a wide grin. Rayza raised an eyebrow, wondering what he was on about.

    ¡°What?¡± She asked, confused. ¡°Which baby?¡±

    ¡°Looking at it.¡± Ionyr said cheekily.

    ¡°What are you on about? I¡¯m not a baby.¡± Rayza said, before catching on to his actual meaning. Her cheeks instantly heated up.

    ¡°W-w-wha-¡± She stammered, causing him to start laughing uncontrollably. Gritting her teeth, she started punching his arm. ¡°Don¡¯t you laugh at me! Idiot! I should-¡±

    ¡°Sorry.¡± He said, catching her fists. ¡°You¡¯re cute when you¡¯re angry. Couldn¡¯t help myself.¡± His tone became sombre. ¡°And besides¡­I just can¡¯t get his last words out of my head.¡±

    Rayza froze, thinking back. Why did her father ask Ionyr to look after her? It was the first time they¡¯d ever met. Yet he instantly said something like that? Come to think of it¡­Spirits be damned. She buried her face in her hands. Looking back, that was basically her father giving Ionyr her hand! If the earth opened to swallow her whole, she wouldn¡¯t complain.

    ¡°Rayza, I¡¯d like to know.¡±

    She turned to see him holding the book.

    ¡°What¡¯s this book about?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about a delusional girl¡¯s silly little dream.¡± Rayza said, a broken wistfulness in her voice. ¡°Says it on the cover. ¡®A pipe dream¡¯.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Ionyr said, grumbling as he flipped the first page. ¡°Wish I could read this damn thing. All I can judge it by is its cover.¡±

    ¡°Honestly, if you judge that one by its cover, you might be better off..¡± Rayza mumbled, playing with her hair. ¡°You won¡¯t have to see the grim truth inside it.¡±

    Ionyr closed the book, then handed it to her. As she took it, she ran her hands across the cover, looking at the faded pink. It annoyed her to no end, like it was mocking her for ever believing there was something more to life. Scoffing, she threw it back onto the table and dropped her head on Ionyr¡¯s shoulder. Scoffing, she dropped it back on the table and put her head on Ionyr¡¯s shoulder. Staring intently at the book, he wrapped his arm around her.

    ¡°Rayza?¡± He asked, pulling her close.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± She replied, absent-minded.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get married.¡± Ionyr said firmly.

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Huh. That was easy.

    ¡­wait.

    ¡°Welcome to the family, Rayza.¡± Ionyr said. His voice was warm and kind, with no hint of his usual joking attitude.

    ¡°W-wait. D-d-d-d-did you just¡­?¡± She stuttered, looking at him flabbergasted.

    ¡°Yeah, I did.¡± He smiled at her. ¡°Guess it was more than a pipe dream, huh?¡±

    ¡°B-but¡­you¡­I¡­we¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t even form proper sentences.

    ¡°Well, you love me, right? Shouldn¡¯t be a problem then.¡±

    ¡°I mean yeah, I do, but¡­wait. Hold on!¡± Rayza pulled away and stared at him, shocked. ¡°...you knew?¡±

    ¡°You were really obvious with it, you know?¡± He laughed sheepishly.

    Rayza curled into a ball. Her blush was so strong it felt like her face might explode. She could die of embarrassment right now.

    ¡°Though, I did need some convincing from my Mom. I was always so nervous around you that I wasn¡¯t able to tell right away. After all¡­¡± Ionyr raised her chin and looked deeply into her eyes. Close. He was so close. Too close. ¡°I love you too.¡±

    Did she hear that right? Did he just¡­?

    ¡°Y-you do?¡± Rayza asked, her voice filled with hope for the first in a long time. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°You know me. I¡¯m not the lying sort.¡± Ionyr pressed his forehead to hers. ¡°I love you, Rayza. I really do.¡±

    ¡°I...I love you too, Ionyr. I do.¡± She said shyly, glancing at his lips. Perhaps...he wasn''t close enough.

    As though he could read her mind, he pressed his lips to hers. It was a small, short peck - but it felt like the entire world suddenly faded away. All her worries and sorrow just popped in one go. Like bubbles that get too close to fire, nothing could survive the purging maelstrom of butterflies she got from that kiss.

    ¡°Wow¡­¡± Rayza mumbled as he pulled away, his forehead still pressed against hers. She wanted some more.

    Ionyr chuckled as he gazed into her eyes. ¡°You want some more, don¡¯t you?¡±

    She nodded shyly.

    ¡°I can tell what you want just based on your eyes¡­they do say it¡¯s the window to the soul.¡± Brushing his lips against hers, his brown irises started overflowing with the very same desire. ¡°And what I see¡­is beautiful. All of it.¡±

    Her heart ached - how dare this idiot start waxing poetically all of a sudden? Right here, right now?

    She forcefully pressed her lips to his, attempting to quench this burning desire. With the force she put behind it, Ionyr fell over. As he lay on his back, she climbed on top of him.

    Did the door just creak?

    Rayza shot up and checked, but the door was shut, just like before. Was it just her imagination? Was Sally up¡­? No, she would¡¯ve just come in. Who else could it even be, at this hour?

    ¡°Rayza? You okay?¡±

    ¡°I think¡­¡± As she turned to face Ionyr, her gaze drifted across the book again. For some reason, its pink was all the more vibrant than before - even more so than when she first read it. ¡®A pipe dream¡¯...no, not anymore. This was a dream come true. If she was asleep, then by the Spirits, she¡¯d enjoy every second before waking up.

    ¡°Just my imagination.¡± Rayza said, smiling.

    ¡°You know, when I said you were cutest when you¡¯re angry¡­I was wrong.¡± Ionyr said, brushing his rough hand over her cheek. ¡°You¡¯re cutest when you smile.¡±

    ¡°Then you better do your best to keep me smiling.¡± She replied, giggling as she leaned down.

    ¡°Your wish is my command¡­sweetheart.¡± Ionyr said, awkwardly adding the endearment at the end.

    ¡°You¡¯re more of a sweetheart than me, mister.¡± She giggled, running her hands through his hair. ¡°But then again¡­if there is something I could wish for¡­¡±

    Rayza didn¡¯t even have to think about it. Her wish, her innermost desire, her pipe dream had been known to her from the start.

    ¡°I wish for a family.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°The eons of waiting have paid off at last. We have found the right pair. Let us return their consciousness to the present moment. There is much to discuss.¡±

 Chapter 9 - Birth of a Dream

    ¡°Return to us.¡±

    With the voice ringing in Ionyr¡¯s mind, time appeared to speed up - as though he were living his life in fast motion, with only important events playing out fully.

    The wedding. Mom¡¯s funeral. Ielus¡¯ departure.

    Though as he grew older, time seemed to fly by even faster, life becoming little more than a blur - even those important, meaningful moments passed by like clouds on a windy day.

    Visiting the capital. Meeting Raev.

    It felt like he was falling through a hole, numbed by the incessant amount of memories and emotions flooding him - faster and faster, too fast for his feeble mind to keep up.

    Their final adventure.

    And then, just as he reached his breaking point¡­!

    ¡°Welcome back, young adventurers.¡±

    Ionyr dropping to his knees, sweating and panting. What just happened? It felt like he relived his entire life in a single second. There was a storm of emotions tormenting his chest - love, sadness, grief, happiness, nostalgia¡­it was too much all at once. He felt something running down his cheek - tears, streaming from his eyes and dropping from his cheek into the night sky below them.

    Right¡­he remembered now. Their final adventure¡­the town, the cave¡­and the Creators. Their test¡­wait! Rayza!

    Ionyr immediately looked for her, finding Rayza collapsed onto her knees as well - sobbing and holding the right side of her chest. It seemed she was going through something similar. Pushing through his own pain, he crawled over to her. He placed a hand on her back. Her state of mind was too volatile to notice him, but that didn¡¯t stop him from sitting down and pulling her into his embrace.

    ¡°It¡¯ll¡­¡± He grimaced as the violent maelstrom ravaged his mind. Gritting his teeth, he bore it and, after a deep breath, softly whispered into her ear. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, Rayza. Just lean on me. Let me be your rock.¡±

    ¡°The testing is hereby concluded. We commend you.¡± The statue spoke, raising itself back to its full height. ¡°Many of those who undertook this test lost themselves.¡±

    ¡°W-what did you do?!¡± Ionyr asked, doing his best to keep his voice level. He could barely contain himself - rage-filled screams and pained winces were desperate to leak out. And with how much he and Rayza were shaking, it was a real struggle to hold them back.

    ¡°A worthy inquiry.¡± It nodded and opened its arms in an inviting fashion. ¡°We shall answer it, and any others you might have.¡±

    "To answer your first question, we glimpsed into your past. We did so by travelling the same path you did.." It waved its right paw, and small sparks appeared from the void. They gathered in its palm, forming a tiny, glistering light.

    "Emotions are like flames. Bluntly said, E-motion is a shortened word. Its origins stem from the idiom ''energy in motion''.¡± The statue stretched and bounced the light between its six arms, before it eventually split into six smaller, snakelike pieces that each curled around one of its arms.

    ¡°Every time energy moves, it leaves behind an imprint where it used to be - like a campfire charring the ground." It presented its palms, showing off the black marks on them.

    "We are able to read these imprints. Similar to a blind person using their sense of touch to read engravings upon a wall, we trace the imprints to glimpse the memory behind the emotion." The charring quickly disappeared, as the rock they were on melted - only to be quickly replaced by another, freshly cooled.

    "It is because of this that you are feeling the sensation of reliving your past. By returning the moved energy to where it came from, we effectively return you to the person you used to be. From a certain point of view, we sent you back to the past as you lived it."

    Yeah, that¡¯s one way of looking at it, Ionyr mused. Though, from another point of view, they had no freedom to choose their actions - it was simply memories after all. If they were really in the past, wouldn¡¯t they have been able to change it? To prevent Ielus from leaving? Keep his mother from death? Save Rayza¡¯s father?

    "Are you okay?" Ionyr asked, gently pulling her closer. She shook her head.

    ¡°I wish.¡± She hissed, gritting her teeth.

    Or maybe that was just it - there was no changing the past. No matter how hard one tried, certain things are just fated to happen. Perhaps it is folly to try to change fate. And, to be honest, he was happy with how things turned out - if they didn¡¯t happen as they did, he never would have married her.

    Giving her a light kiss on the forehead, Ionyr shook his head. What a silly train of thought. Maybe he¡¯d simply gotten nostalgic again, having experienced his past again in such a vivid way. He was here now. Ionyr, adventurer and husband of Rayza. And now, discoverer of the Creators. He was so satisfied with his current life - why would he want to change any of it?

    Yet, he still couldn¡¯t deny a part of him longing to go back again. To change something. Just a tiny thing - to make his current life better. Ionyr knew he shouldn¡¯t be feeling this way¡­but he did.

    "You said we weren¡¯t the first." Ionyr said, trying to push away those thoughts.

    "Yes." The god replied bluntly. Kind of frustrating, he had to admit - would''ve been nice if they were the only ones to prove this myth true. Though, with how far they¡¯ve gotten, Ionyr had no room to complain. The statue crossed its middle set of arms before continuing. "However, none of them have reached this stage."

    "What do you mean? What stage?" Ionyr raised an eyebrow. The storm in his chest had started to settle, giving way to his familiar hunger for knowledge.

    "Our final test was meant to examine the inner workings of your minds. None besides you have met our criteria." It opened its arms. "So here you stand still, as our Chosen." Chosen? What were the Creators talking about? Ever since they''d entered this cave, it had just been one thing after another. It was too much to wrap his head around.

    "You know of the great Calamity that befell this world eons ago." It stated, motioning to the world below. A black blight appeared from the southern continent and began expanding, covering everything in a dark miasma.

    "Of course!" Ionyr said without skipping a beat - finally, some familiar territory! "That story is the whole reason we sought you out to begin with!"

    "We know." It stated blankly. ¡°We saw it in your memories.¡±

    Ah, right. Ionyr scratched his head sheepishly. Could¡¯ve seen that coming.

    "But the story you were told was incomplete." The statue continued, looking down at the spectacle below.

    A bright yellow light shone from where the darkness came, and before long, it began to dissipate, revealing the now Dead South beneath it. However, as his Mom had said so long ago, dark thunderstorm clouds remained where the great evil was sealed. Ionyr was honestly impressed with how accurate most of her tale was.

    One would think that with how often this story is passed from mouth to mouth, falsehoods would start to get mixed in, be it through human error or mistellings¡­but all of it seemed to be true, down to the last, minute detail. Well, there was one part that was lost, though. Thanks to Rudd, though, he now knew of it, too.

    "You mean the legend of the stars, right? The old man told us." Ionyr said with a grin, causing the statue to nod.

    "Correct. Following the sealing of the Calamity, we took refuge from the world in our sanctuaries." It waved its hand, causing a light to appear on each continent, blinking with a slow, reverberating sound.

    Each had a different colour. The North was coloured a light violet, there was a blue light on the Isles, and in their home country of Idyllis was a red light. Funnily enough, with how clear everything was, Ionyr could see that the red glow was right in the centre of a large valley - it had to be the one their camp overlooked.

    "We selected their locations based on their proximity to certain special places." As it said so, it reached out with its two lower sets of arms and plucked the lights from the night sky.

    "What special places?" Rayza said shakily. Ionyr gave her a concerned look, but as she wiped away the last streaks of tears, she stood up.

    "Relax.¡± She assured him, giving him a weak smile, despite her quivering legs and trembling voice. ¡°M-my curiosity now is stronger than my sadness was then." She was pushing herself. He could see how wet her eyes were - no doubt the storm was far worse for her than for him, with the emotional distress she had to live through yet again.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Ionyr said, taking her hand. ¡°If you say so.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡± She whispered as she pulled him to his feet. Without letting go, she turned to the statue. ¡°S-so, what are these special places you were talking about?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t do more.¡± Ionyr thought, somberly noting how tightly she was squeezing his hand - possibly stronger than ever before. The pain must be unbearable. All these emotions hitting her at once, especially after she thought them all buried and dealt with¡­poor Rayza, he thought. And despite all that, she pushed herself to her feet.

    What a beautiful soul.

    "These places¡­" The god continued, seemingly ignorant of her plight, "These places are close to the world''s organs."

    "...organs." Rayza said slowly, before exchanging a baffled look with Ionyr. ¡°The world¡¯s¡­organs.¡±

    Unexpected, to say the least. What in the Spirits¡¯ names were the Creators on about?

    "It''s the only word we have to describe this phenomenon. Even the way they are positioned in the world is akin to organs." It pointed at the blinking dot on the Western Isles. "This is its Heart. A deep cave through which all water in the world passes. Without it, there would be no ocean currents - the world would wither and stagnate."

    "Here lies its gut and intestines.¡± It continued, motioning towards the Dead South. ¡°A place where the fertile earth is gathered before being swept away by the ocean''s tides to the other continents.¡±

    ¡°Its mouth, windpipe and lungs lie in the cold North.¡± It gestured towards the violet light. ¡°Everything breathes, even the world itself. The same way all living beings breathe air, so does the world breathe that air.¡±

    To illustrate its point, it reached out with its paw. A piece of the earth shot up from the world below, stopping right in its palm. There was a small white flower on the chunk of dirt.

    ¡±Plants need the air breathed out by animals and humans. And as plants breathe the waste of other living beings, so does the world require the air that is breathed out by all life.¡± It retracted its paw, allowing the flower to quickly, but gently drop back down to earth. The statue used its lower sets of arms to form a circle from the four lights, glowing the same violet as the sanctuary below.

    ¡°The great cycle of air - cleansed in the freezing cold of the North, before the air is released into the world anew. You might know it as the harsh northern Boreas."

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the wind that blows through every five years?¡± Ionyr whispered to Rayza. He didn¡¯t want to embarrass himself here, he didn¡¯t study up on it much. However, seeing her listening to the statue with wide eyes, ignoring his question, he realised that maybe there was real credence to the Creators¡¯ words.

    ¡°And finally..." It disbanded the circle, forming the four lights once more, then pointed to the red dot on Idyllis - the sanctuary they were currently in. "This place...is where all the energy of the world gathers."

    "Wait, so we have the heart, gut and mouth all where they should be." Ionyr said, noticing a flaw in this world view. "But what lies opposite the heart?" He patted his right pec. "There is no organ there. Not in humans, nor in any other animal I can think of. Right?"

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    He shot Rayza a questioning look. She blinked, snapping from her thoughts. ¡°Actually¡­¡± She said, pensively rubbing her lips. ¡°He has a point.

    "Indeed." The statue forced the lights together and moulded them into the form of a translucent human body - almost like a glass doll. Crossing its top arms, it tapped the right side of the doll¡¯s chest. "There is nothing there. Not in a human''s body, nor in that of any other animal of this world." A small light appeared in that same spot it pointed out a second ago. ¡°But still, this place houses the Sacred Fire. So, what then, is this place? ¡±

    The Creators plunged their tentacles into the doll, then flicked them outwards. Without delay, the doll expanded, growing as large as the statue. It traced a claw along the doll.

    ¡°Heart. Gut. Lungs.¡± As it mentioned each organ, they lit up with the corresponding colour. ¡°All of them right where they should be. So which organ does the Sacred Fire represent?

    ¡°Before that, could you tell us what the Sacred Fire is?¡± Ionyr asked, raising a hand. ¡°In all our travels, we¡¯ve never come across that name.¡±

    Rayza nodded in agreement. ¡°Can¡¯t recall reading about it in any books either¡­¡± She mumbled.

    ¡°Unsurprising.¡± The Creators said, clapping their paws. The doll shrank back down to human size. ¡°Knowledge is something that is all too easily lost. Tell us, young adventurers - does humanity still know of the World Soul?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t say we do.¡± Ionyr scratched his chin. First he heard of it.

    ¡°Actually¡­¡± Rayza whispered, quivering. ¡°I do.¡±

    ¡°Wait, really?¡± Ionyr looked at her. ¡°How?¡±

    As she shot him a glance, he could tell she just had an epiphany. Though at the same time, it was like she¡¯d seen a ghost. It felt like she was trying to break his hand, with how tight her grip was.

    ¡°The book.¡± Rayza said quietly. ¡°The one that got my father¡­¡±

    Ionyr¡¯s eyes widened as he understood.

    ¡°Say no more. I understand.¡± He said, squeezing her hand. As she nodded gratefully, he turned back to the statue to answer its question. ¡°There are still tomes that speak of this World Soul - but they are seen as heretical. Those who own them are put to death.¡±

    ¡°Fascinating. How times can change the view on knowledge so fundamental.¡± It said, sounding almost amused. ¡°Humans are such funny little creatures.¡±

    The statue extended its six arms and grabbed hold of space. With the same ease as flipping a page in a book, it spun the area around - until the world that was once below was now positioned right behind it. It lightly tapped the void to stop the spin, before snapping its fingers.

    The four lights reappeared before the statue.

    ¡°Earth. Air. Water. Fire. These are the four elements that comprise the physical world.¡± It said, swirling the four orbs around. ¡°Entirely different tapestries woven of the same cloth. All manifestations of the World Soul - siblings born of the same mother.¡±

    ¡°Can you stop speaking in riddles, please? My head¡¯s already spinning from that move you just pulled.¡± Ionyr said, massaging his forehead.

    ¡°As you wish. To put this very simply - the same way humans have a body, mind and soul, so does the world. Hence why we referred to these special places as its organs.¡± With a snap of its fingers, the statue summoned the image of the doll once more. "Which brings us back to the question at hand: what organ does the fire stand for?¡±

    Tapping against the pecs of the doll, the Creators made a blue light appear where the heart was located. Then, right beside it appeared a red light - which slightly overlapped with the blue, creating a light violet glow.

    ¡°We believe that this is an indication of something greater - an unperceivable organ, perhaps where the soul resides. A second heart, if you will. But not pumping blood ¨C but instead being responsible for moving the energy throughout our body. Mirroring the physical heart, it is an emotional heart - the Soul Heart."

    Soul Heart? The more Ionyr heard, the more his head began to spin. Shooting a glance at Rayza, he noticed her expression mirrored his confusion - yet there was a certain sense of wonder in her blue eyes as well. Like she was slowly beginning to understand, and yearning to learn more. Suddenly, she furrowed her brow.

    "There''s something bothering me about this." Rayza said. "You are the Creators - the divine makers of our world. How could your own creations possibly hold any mysteries from you?"

    "An astute observation." Remarked the statue, and it shrunk the doll down to a miniscule size, invisible to the naked eye. "It is true. Eons ago, we created this world from nothing. Yet, as time passed, it has evolved far beyond what we originally intended."

    The previously tiny doll began to grow rapidly in size, shifting into different animals - from a small Reedjumper, to an Anoranth, to what appeared like the legendary Ravager, until it eventually settled on its human form once more.

    "Before we knew it, life sprang forth from this world. Life that we struggle to understand to this day." The doll split in two, where it took the shapes of two very familiar humans. Ionyrwas almost creeped out seeing their bodies like that - it felt like looking into a ghostly mirror. "Where did this life come from? Only life can create life. Anything taken by death loses that ability - so where did this life come from, if not from us?"

    The dolls stood still, unmoving.

    "There are certain immutable facts to life. For one, life cannot exist without a Body to hold it." It tapped on the translucent dolls with its paws. A dark yellow light - the light of earth - pulsed from the claws and enveloped the dolls. As it dissipated, it revealed that the dolls had transformed into perfect mirror images to them.

    Ionyr was impressed - the Creators got every detail right. Rayza¡¯s soft blonde hair, her enticing curves¡­and her blue eyes. Yet they lacked something. Those were not the eyes he fell in love with. They were by far not as beautiful as the real thing.

    "The Body also requires a Mind to control it." The statue waved its hand over the dolls. They jolted again, and blinked. But it stopped at that - they made no further move of their own. "You were made in their image." It said to its creations. ¡°Bow.¡±

    The two dolls followed the order, and bowed before Ionyr and Rayza. In his peripheral vision, he could see Rayza absolutely enraptured with the spectacle. She quickly returned the respectful bow. Ionyr awkwardly waved at the two dolls, trying to not be left out - but something kept him from bowing to them. They gave off an uncanny feeling.

    "But even with these two important pieces, something is still lacking.¡± The Creators were either ignorant or uncaring of his hesitance.  ¡°Life cannot be reduced to these two aspects. A Mind and Body cannot move a body forward on their own."

    The two constructs remained still, unmoving as they waited for further orders.

    "Incapable of forming its own will, only able to obey. That cannot be called life." It took the dolls in its paws and shattered them, scattering small sparks of light across the void. "The missing piece...it can only be one thing. It must be Soul. Without it, there can be no life."

    Soul. After all the times that word had been spoken, it had almost lost its meaning.

    "What do you mean by Soul, anyway? I get what you mean by Body and Mind. That¡¯s simple enough, it¡¯s my body and my ability to think and understand. But Soul is so abstract, what am I supposed to understand by it?" Ionyr asked, trying to make sense of it.

    He was entirely overwhelmed - he never would have expected that when finding the Creators, that he¡¯d be sitting through such a confusing conversation. Though perhaps he should¡¯ve expected nothing less of the ancient gods that made this world.

    Humming, the statue crossed its arms.

    ¡°An excellent question, young adventurer. In fact, that¡¯s the very same question we are trying to answer ourselves.¡± It nodded solemnly, closing all but its third eye, which pulsed a vibrant scarlet. "Your curious mind will be a great asset. We were right to choose you after all." Extending all its arms, it let out a majestic caw. The sun began shining brightly with a mighty roar. Bathing in the golden light it summoned, the statue spoke with a voice that boomed across the night sky.

    ¡°Heed these words, Chosen Ones. Of all the humans that have come before us, it is you that have proven yourselves worthy. As your Creators, we request this of you: help us elucidate the mystery of Soul.¡±

    Rayza instinctively took a step back, frightened by this display of divine power. Taking a step forward, Ionyr placed her behind him, but he, too, was frightened - yet underlying the fear was an immense sense of awe.

    "Long have we waited here, bound to the Sanctuary of the Sacred Flame, for the right souls to entrust this request to." The statue lowered its head, meeting their gaze. ¡°Tell us, young adventures. Will you accept our request?¡±

    ¡°How?!¡± Ionyr yelled, trying to overcome the roaring of the sun. ¡°How could we possibly do that?!¡±

    ¡°Where there is a will, there is a way. Therefore, we must know.¡± The Creators lowered their head down. ¡°Do you accept?¡±

    Exchanging the briefest of looks with Rayza, he knew their answer. Her eyes were as curious as his. Despite being frightened, despite having no idea what was coming for them, the two of them shared that determined spirit. After having come so far, what was the point in stopping now?

    ¡°Of course we will!¡±

    ¡°Of course we will!¡±

    They yelled in unison.

    Suddenly, the immense noise was silenced, and with it the sunlight dimmed. Crossing its arms, the Creators nodded, satisfied.

    ¡°Excellent.¡± It spoke, clapping its hands. The symbols from earlier reappeared, and it began tracing them, like one would a line in a book. "There are still many things we do not understand. Many questions about human emotion in particular.¡±

    Without pause, it began listing off their various questions.

    ¡°Where does emotion spring from? Where does it go? Is Soul given at birth, or is it created over time?¡± It flicked its hand, sending the symbols away. ¡°Those are just a few questions we¡¯d like an answer to.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­so, how do you expect us to find that answer¡­?¡± Ionyr chuckled awkwardly. ¡°I mean, don¡¯t get me wrong. Won¡¯t find anyone more motivated than us, but¡­a will won¡¯t be good enough for us to find a way here.¡±

    ¡°You are correct.¡± The statue nodded. ¡±There is no way to answer these questions without studying a human. Therefore..."

    It reached out with its six arms. All the stars in the sky suddenly dimmed, leaving it all dark and empty.

    "We created a child. A human child."

    Beams of light, coming from all corners of space, shot towards the statue, gathering in the midst of its arms.

    ¡°That child¡­is the Star.¡±

    It slowly lowered its arms, a tiny white egg in its palms. It was so small it could fit in Ionyr''s arms.

    "It is yet unborn. Once the both of you lay hands upon it, it shall take on parts of your bodies. It will have a mind of its own, so it will be able to move and act as it pleases.¡±

    The egg began pulsing as it got closer to the two of them.

    ¡°Yet...it does not have Soul. Humanity, with all its emotions, should be able to cultivate it freely. You two, our Chosen, are worthy to be its parents." The Creator gazed into their eyes. "Show us how to create Soul. Show this child what it means to be human."

    Ionyr turned to look at Rayza, who¡¯d stepped forward to stand beside him. His wife¡¯s face was being torn between many different emotions. Confusion¡­and elation. Stunned silent, yet her mouth agape. Her hands were reaching out, seemingly of their own volition, trembling as they tried to grasp that dream that seemed unattainable all these years.

    Her greatest wish, the dream she held ever since their relationship began, which she had been denied again, and again and again after what must have been hundreds of attempts ¨C the Creator offered to her. It may have taken the hand of the gods, but finally, after all these years, her greatest desire was finally in reach.

    How often had she wished upon a star to have it granted, Ionyr wondered, as he placed his hand on hers. At long last, this divine egg, the Star of the Creators, would make real what he failed to do. He felt relieved, knowing that he wasn¡¯t the only one whose dream came true. It helped alleviate his sense of guilt, if a little.

    Rayza looked at him, tears streaking down her face. He was unable to restrain a few, himself. Nodding, he turned to the ancient god.

    "We thank you¡­oh great being. You have no idea what you have done for us." Ionyr said, his voice trembling.

    ¡°We may not understand what you feel¡­but we know you¡¯ve desired this for a long time. That is why we chose you.¡± It held the egg close to them, in arm¡¯s reach. ¡°Now¡­lay your hands upon it. With it¡­your journey begins.¡±

    Shooting one last look with Rayza, who was still trembling, he took her hand. When she turned to face him, he gave her a reassuring smile.

    ¡°Together?¡± He asked.

    ¡°T-together.¡± She said, returning his smile weakly.

    They placed their hands upon the egg.

    A weak white light appeared from it and flowed through their hands, up their arms and across their bodies before returning to its source.

    A moment passed.

    The egg pulsed in a blue light. Once. Twice. Thrice.

    It began pulsing faster and faster, until it all blended together in an all-encompassing white flash.

    After a few moments, the light dimmed, and eventually dissipated entirely. Ionyr opened his eyes to find his wife holding a newborn. The baby had white hair and blue eyes ¨C the same blue eyes he so loved to gaze into.

    "Look, Ionyr." Rayza said, smiling as she gently nuzzled the baby - their baby. "It¡¯s a girl."

    Ionyr could hear the ever so slight ¡®Told you so¡¯ in her tone, but it was so overshadowed by not just her own joy, but his too, that he ignored it entirely. Without missing a beat, he took off his cloak and helped his wife wrap it around the newborn. He could scarcely believe it.

    Running his hand through their daughter''s hair, he could barely hold back his own swelling emotions. All the guilt he''d accrued over the years of failing to give her a child was finally lifted. It was a huge weight off his chest. He pulled his wife close and pressed his lips to her forehead.

    "She''s¡­beautiful." Ionyr nuzzled his head into her hair. "Must be your eyes."

    Rayza giggled - her voice was so light and angelic. Like she did as a child, when the world hadn¡¯t worn her down so much. "Say, Ionyr? What will we name her?" She asked, gently rocking the baby back and forth.

    Good question. They''d thought of so many names before, yet none of them would fit this beautiful blessing of the Creators. Ionyr looked at his daughter - man, that felt weird to say. He¡¯d have to get used to it. By the Spirits, that made him a father. That title was something he¡¯d need time getting used to.

    His daughter had a blank expression on her face, though her eyes were curiously watching him. Her eyes...the same sky-blue eyes of her mother...there was only one name that came to mind. He instantly knew it was the right one when he thought of it.

    "Ciel. We''ll name her Ciel."

    Rayza kept silently rocking the baby, letting the name hang in the air for a moment. Eventually, she smiled and pulled her daughter into a hug.

    "I love it." She kissed her daughter on the forehead. ¡°Hear that, dear? Your name is Ciel.¡±

 Chapter 10 - Parting words

    Nuzzling her face into Ciel''s neck, Rayza began to hum a soft hymn. Ionyr immediately recognized it as the lullaby his mother had sung way back then - the night when Rayza had first stayed the night at their house. Ciel observed her mother with a calm gaze.

    He still couldn¡¯t believe it - those eyes were exactly like Rayza¡¯s, down to the last detail. Ciel had probably inherited them better than a natural child would. It comforted Ionyr somewhat - while he still held his reservations about the whole affair, it proved that Ciel was indeed theirs.

    He silently embraced his newfound family. He¡¯d never felt like this - exhausted and overwhelmed, but in a weirdly happy way.

    From the start of their adventure in the dense fog, through their stay in that odd little town, then the near death experience in the cave and now, at long last, witnessing the birth of their child -  it was all so much to take in. The day had certainly taken its physical, but especially an emotional toll on Ionyr.

    But despite it, something felt a little¡­off. This adventure felt too well structured - like their entire journey had been planned for them, from the very beginning.

    As he pondered, the Creators¡¯ Avatar silently ''plucked off'', for lack of a better word, a part of its third eye. Pressing it between its thumb and index finger, it reformed the light into a flat form. As the light faded, it revealed a black tablet, small enough to fit in Ionyr''s pouch. It seemed to be made from the same material as the sanctuary itself. Wordlessly, it let the tablet float into his hands.

    "What is this?" Ionyr asked, confused as he ran his hands across the stone-like surface.

    The material felt unlike anything he¡¯d ever laid his hands on before - smooth to the touch, yet somehow weighing down his finger as it traced the tablet. Like there was something beneath this blank black surface his finger was pushing around - the image of a deep lake floated up in Ionyr¡¯s mind, an unknowable depth that he couldn¡¯t even perceive.

    "That tablet is our final gift." The statue snapped its fingers, and embers of the Sacred Fire began to spark off its body. As the sparks slowly began circling around them in a orb-like formation, Ionyr realised what those words actually meant.

    "Wait!" He yelled, stepping forward. "I still have so many questions!"

    "It contains all the knowledge you could ever desire. The answer to all questions you may have today, and those you may have tomorrow. Your mind simply needs to ask." The statue spoke, the light fading from its body as more embers sparked off it. "This is farewell."

    The more embers gathered around Ionyr and his family, the faster the formation collectively spun. The eyes of the Avatar went dark, and its arms and wings returned to their previous cool and solid state. Ionyr could barely make it out through the storm of sparks. It didn¡¯t take long for it to grow so fast and bright that he couldn¡¯t see through it at all.

    "Take good care of it...our little Star..." The Avatar¡¯s voice went quiet, leaving only its echo in the void.

    As the embers started to encompass them entirely, Ionyr felt his feet leave the ground. He quickly pulled Rayza close to him. She, in turn, was clutching Ciel tightly to her chest, whispering that everything would be okay - though the child didn¡¯t seem particularly perturbed. Her expression remained calm, watching the two of them with a vacant, empty gaze.

    The circling light emitted a high-pitched hum, like it was about to explode. Ionyr braced for it, shutting his eyes and holding his girls close. The humming got louder and louder, until it became so high-pitched that Ionyr couldn¡¯t hear it anymore.

    There was a sudden rumble - he knew that noise! It was the sound of the earth moving, coming from above them. Ionyr could feel them start to float upwards, slowly and gently. Eventually, the same noise started coming from below them.

    He realised that perhaps, they had never left the sanctuary, but instead been served an impressive illusion of the night sky. It wasn¡¯t out of the realm of possibility - after all, the Creators have the power of the Sacred Fire, and the power to reconstruct the past exactly as it was. So, that must mean that Ionyr and his girls were currently being sent back up to the surface, straight through the earth itself.

    Hold on¡­did this mean the Creators had power over the earth itself? Could they shift it as they pleased? If that was the case, didn¡¯t that imply that the earthquakes earlier¡­

    ¡°Mmh¡­¡± Ciel suddenly whimpered, stirring in Rayza¡¯s embrace. With her narrowed eyes and wrinkled nose, she looked like she was wincing in pain as she tried to push her hands through the makeshift swaddle. Was she¡­trying to cover her ears? Could she still hear the high-pitched humming?

    If that was the case, then her hearing had to be superhuman. Ionyr was fascinated by the implications. What other hidden capabilities did his daughter possess? Which divine blessings did the Creators bestow upon her?

    However, seeing Ciel letting out another soft whimper made Ionyr grab ahold of himself. Her wellbeing should be his top priority - he was her father now, he thought, quickly pressing his hands to her ears. Immediately, her expression relaxed, and she went back to gazing at him with that empty look. There was no gratitude in her eyes¡­eerie in a way. But he¡¯d change that.

    Their ascent to the surface felt like they were gliding upwards on a gentle breeze. The only indication that they were moving at all was the sound of the earth stirring around them to open and close their path. Eventually, he couldn¡¯t hear it above them anymore. Shortly after that, the sounds coming from below ceased as well. The lights then dispersed, leaving them to gently fall onto the grassy soil.

    They were on the surface.

    Ionyr checked on the girls. Rayza was gently rocking their daughter - though based on how tightly she was clutching her baby, she was rather shaken. Ciel still wore that same blank expression, but her curious eyes were now occupied scanning the environment. It was a dark night with no moon, so there was little to see. Only the ominous shapes of large and lanky monsters surrounded them.

    Her pure white hair had a light glow to it. It was just strong enough that he could identify the monster standing right in front of them ¨C a tree, its bark blackened and broken in places. They were in a forest, it seemed, of dried and dead trees.

    ¡°It¡¯s over. Are you alright?¡± Ionyr tenderly whispered, stroking Rayza¡¯s hair.

    ¡°Just¡­need a moment.¡± She replied, nodding shakily.

    He led her to a tree, running his hand over the black bark to see how comfortable it was to lean on. It was dry and rough - no good. Oh well, Ionyr thought, leaning against it and pulling her into his embrace. He liked it when she leaned on him anyways. Though he couldn''t shake the feeling that he''d seen this kind of tree somewhere before...

    "Shiver me timbers, you really did it."

    Ionyr knew that voice. Turning his head, he found Rudd peeking around the tree, inches from him. The storyteller¡¯s face was bathed in his lantern¡¯s light, bearing a relieved and uncharacteristically sincere smile.

    "Come, you two." Rudd said, beckoning them to follow.  "I set up camp just around the corner. Got some grub for you, too - well-deserved, it is." The old man said, disappearing into the shadows, all but vanishing if it weren¡¯t for the distinct light of his lantern. Ionyr took Rayza¡¯s hand, and seeing the uncertainty in her eyes, nodded reassuringly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he intends to hurt us.¡± He whispered, but she didn¡¯t seem convinced.

    ¡°How can you tell?¡± She whispered back, biting her lip as she glanced past the tree into the dark forest. Rayza seemed more on edge - even more so than she did before their expedition. Was it because of Ciel?

    ¡°If you can sense danger, then I believe you. I won¡¯t take anymore risks today - can¡¯t afford to.¡± Ionyr said, stroking his daughter¡¯s cheek. ¡°But please be honest with me. Do you truly smell the same danger you did earlier? Or are you being overly cautious now?¡±

    Rayza squirmed uncomfortably. She shot another glance into the dark, anxiously looking around them, seemingly searching for something, anything to confirm her fears. However, unable to sense anything, she sighed.

    ¡°The latter.¡± She said, gently rocking the baby. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    As he led her into the forest, following the purple glow, Ionyr finally had the time to reflect on his brief interaction with Rudd. ''You really did it'', the old man had said. The way Rudd phrased that sentence¡­it was like he knew what had happened. But how would he?

    With questions racing through his mind, Ionyr ran his thumb across the Creators¡¯ tablet. Realising he¡¯d never put it away, he took a moment to examine it closer. It was very light, comfortably fitting in his palm. Examining it further, nothing else seemed to stand out. So he placed it in his pouch for now, as he followed Rudd¡¯s lantern.

    It was getting hard to walk, with the mist growing denser around their feet. Rayza was starting to pant as well - she probably had it worse, having to carry Ciel. Thankfully, Ionyr could spy a campfire in a clearing through the trees.

    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    They soon arrived in said clearing, free of the black mist and illuminated by said campfire in its centre. The horses were tied to a tree, happily neighing when they saw their owners arrive. Rudd had stuck his walking stick into the ground beside the fire and sat down on a tree stump. A pot hung over the flame, its contents bubbling and releasing an appetising, meaty smell into the air.

    Motioning for them to sit on a fallen log opposite him, the storyteller reached into his bag. After pulling out two bowls and spoons, Rudd stirred the stew, glancing at Ciel every so often. Rayza protectively pulled her baby closer and inched away from him. Rudd paid her no mind, and began serving the stew.

    "Watch out, it''s hot." He said as he handed them their bowls. Rayza looked between it and her daughter, unsure of what to do. On one hand, she refused to put down Ciel, much less hand her to Rudd - on the other hand, her stomach let out a loud, embarrassing growl that made her cheeks redden. Rudd and Ionyr shared a hearty chuckle.

    "Right, it would be difficult to eat with her on your arm." Rudd said, handing the bowls to Ionyr and walking over to Rayza, he knelt beside her. ¡°If I may¡­?¡± He held out his hands, offering to hold Ciel. Rayza looked incredibly torn, shooting Ionyr a desperate glance for help.

    Seeing her reaction, Rudd quietly tore off a long piece of his cloak, leaving only his neck and shoulders covered. He folded it in the middle, and held it out again for Rayza. Seeing her questioning look, he smiled - again, uncharacteristically sincere.

    ¡°Put her in here. I¡¯ll tie it tightly, so you can hold her and still eat. Acceptable?¡± He said, a hint of his usual cheekiness in his tone. Rayza accepted, unable to hide her relief, and placed her baby in the makeshift sling, Tying it around Rayza''s shoulder, Rudd helped her adjust it so that both her and Ciel were comfortable. The baby was watching it all unfold with a mildly curious expression.

    Now that her daughter was held securely to her chest, Rayza gratefully took her well-deserved dinner Ionyr handed her. He, however, couldn''t take his eyes off the knot. Something about it bugged him - and it wasn¡¯t simply the dusty handprints Rudd had left on the cloth.

    "Say, Rudd, aren''t you going to eat?" Rayza asked as the old man sat back down on his stump.

    "No.¡± He replied, shaking his head. ¡° I won''t." Rudd continued watching Ciel with an awed glint in his eye. Eventually, he met Ionyr¡¯s gaze and sighed, leaning back as his expression hardened. "You''ve got plenty to talk about, I can tell."

    "You already know what happened, don''t you?" Ionyr said, putting aside his untouched dinner. Using his walking stick, the old man pushed around the embers of the campfire. Rayza gave him a puzzled look. "Don''t you find it strange? Rudd knew exactly where to find us after we came up from underground." Her eyes widened, and she inched back further.

    "Sharp lad." Rudd took out his old pipe and lit it with the smouldering end of his walking stick. "I know what happened. So does everyone else." He said, gesturing at the forest around them. Everyone...else? All Ionyr could see among the trees were lanterns just like Rudd¡¯s, each glowing a different colour.

    "We have long awaited this day." Rudd continued wistfully, placing his pipe to his lip and inhaling deeply.

    "Who is ¡®We¡¯?" Ionyr asked, narrowing his eyes. He didn''t sense any threat from the man, but he''d learned to be more sceptical after this afternoon''s events. "The other townspeople?" Who else could it really be? And seeing Rudd eye his daughter like that¡­it roused a new feeling in Ionyr. One he didn¡¯t know - making him more cautious and alert.

    "Relax." Rudd answered, exhaling a large puff of smoke. "You''re right that I am talking about those who live in our town. But I have no intention of stealing what is yours. Those days are long behind me.¡± He said, vacantly staring past them into space. Ionyr still remained tense, eyeing Rudd with suspicion.

    He felt a hand on his, and turned to face Rayza. She shook her head.

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t mean us harm. I¡¯d know.¡± She whispered, squeezing Ionyr¡¯s hand.

    Relaxing, Ionyr gave her a smile and went back to stirring his stew, with Rayza following suit. As he played with the spoon, memories of the inn food popped up in his mind - but unlike that tasteless slop, this stew had a wonderfully appetising smell to it. Lifting up a spoonful, he blew on it, making sure to not scald his tongue.

    When he had that first bite, he found his suspicions confirmed. Ionyr relished the taste - the hearty meat was tender and fell apart on his tongue. It was also an excellent base for the spicy greens to build upon, and let the herbs unfold their sweet and nutty flavour.

    ¡°This¡­is fantastic!¡± Ionyr exclaimed, happily going for a second bite.

    ¡°Glad you like it.¡± Rudd said with a light chuckle. ¡°Would you like a story to go with your meal?¡± He asked, brushing his thumb over his pipe.

    ¡°Sure!¡± Ionyr said between bites, before seizing and coughing up his second bite.

    ¡°Idiot!¡± Rayza set her bowl on the ground and patted his back. ¡°That¡¯s what you get for eating too quickly.¡±

    ¡°Never a boring moment with you two.¡± Rudd chuckled and tossed a flagon over. As Ionyr caught it, the sounds of splashing water came from inside it. ¡°Drink as much as you need.¡±

    While Ionyr chugged down the water, Rudd cleared his throat.

    "So, last I checked, you¡¯ve heard of the Sea Monkeys?"

    "Of course. It¡¯s my favourite." Ionyr said excitedly, almost falling into another coughing fit.

    "Good, good." Rudd said, smiling. ¡°I do wonder whether that will still prove true once you know the whole tale¡­¡±

    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re saying that-¡± Ionyr stopped mid-sentence. Why hadn''t he thought of it earlier? The legend of the Calamity¡­or rather, the legend of the Stars he¡¯d known his entire life was incomplete. Why hadn¡¯t he even considered any other story sharing the same fate - to be withered away and broken by time?

    "The Sea Monkeys were a band of rowdy pirates that tormented the coast of Idyllis centuries ago.¡± Rudd began, his tone wistful and distant. ¡°Wherever they went, they brought chaos ¨C but laughter was left in their wake. For you see, these pirates were not interested in the gold they made.¡±

    ¡°Wait, so they were actually people?¡± Ionyr asked, a little disappointed. ¡°I thought they were actual monkeys.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Rudd raised an eyebrow and scoffed teasingly. ¡°I know it¡¯s called the Tall Tale, but come on now. That borders on ridiculous.¡±

    ¡°In my mind, they¡¯ll always be monkeys.¡± Ionyr said, crossing his arms grumpily. Rayza giggled at his antics.

    ¡°Your father is quite childish, isn¡¯t he, Ciel?¡± She said, smiling at her blank-faced daughter. Turning to the storyteller, she nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t mind him, Rudd. Please continue.¡±

    ¡°Gladly.¡± Rudd said with an amused smile. ¡°The Sea Monkey¡¯s crew was mostly made up of those that escaped the Ashen Order¡¯s clutches, or who had suffered at its hands. Unwilling to accept the ¡®redemption¡¯ it offered, they struck out to embarrass the Order, which still held power over the Isles at the time."

    So far, Ionyr and Rayza knew the story ¨C it was a fun fantasy for a child to fall asleep to. He couldn¡¯t suppress a small smile as the nostalgic feeling of lying in his childhood bed and listening to his mother¡¯s nighttime stories floated in his chest.

    ¡°They plundered the Order¡¯s ships and storehouses, giving the contents back to the people of the Isles.¡± Rudd said, stirring the embers with his walking stick, the lantern on its end rattling as he did. ¡°Sometimes they also defaced the monuments of Firemane - anything to undermine the Order¡¯s authority.¡±

    Ionyr chuckled as he heard the tale retold. He remembered the story where they defaced King Firemane¡¯s statue in the eastern harbour. They shot sea cow dung from their cannons before fleeing an armada of angry Order battleships. A short, funny adventure - just the way he liked it.

    "But eventually, the chaos spread to the crew itself - many men were dissatisfied with the way things were being done. Not that one could blame ¡®em.¡± Rudd continued, puffing another cloud of smoke. ¡°After being thrown to the hounds at the Order¡¯s behest, they wanted to make their distaste¡­no, their hatred known to everyone.¡±

    Rudd¡¯s face darkened as he leaned away from the fire. The shadows danced upon his features.

    ¡°Revenge was their goal, or perhaps their excuse to indulge their darker urges. Pillaging without returning. Defacing and irreparably destroying historical monuments. Taking the pain inflicted on them and¡­¡± Rudd trailed off, and shot a glance at Rayza and Ciel. ¡°I¡¯ll spare you ladies the details.¡±

    Ionyr was horrified. He¡¯d never heard this part of the tale. He¡¯d heard many times of their fun little pranks, but this was far beyond simple-minded fun. Disgusting, is what this was. Ionyr immediately wrapped his arm around his wife and protectively pulled her close as Rudd continued.

    ¡°One day, there was a mutiny. The first mate was brutally beaten by the crew and, alongside their Captain Roger, stuffed into a barrel and keelhauled - left to float and die in the seas near Idyllis. Left for dead by the crew they had rescued and cared for." Rudd brushed his thumb over his pipe, adjusting his seating and leaning closer to the fire.

    "The good captain clung to an errant plank for days, doing his best to keep his best friend and first mate above the ocean¡¯s waves. On the fifth day, there was a great thunderstorm which washed the plank ashore on the eastern coast of Idyllis.¡± This was getting a little weird ¨C this was more than a mere story. Rudd knew too many details. ¡°His first mate¡¯s body had been lost to the waves - a small memento was all that Captain Jolly could save from the ravenous ocean. Starved and beaten, he was barely conscious. Seeing a cave near the shore, the captain dragged himself towards it for shelter."

    "Say, Rudd..." Rudd put a finger to his lip, shushing the younger man.

    "Let me finish the story, lad. Grant an old man his wish." Ionyr nodded silently. He was seeing the full picture now.

    "After entering the cave, odd things began to happen. The rocks seemed to shift around him, and earthquakes cut off his exit.¡± Rudd went on, staring into the crackling embers as his tone became more vivid. ¡°He found himself stumbling further and further into the depths, with no end in sight.¡±

    Rudd spoke through grit teeth, tightly clenching his fist around his walking stick. The flame in his lantern flared up, his eyes similarly glowing a strong purple.

    ¡°He cursed his crew. He cursed his fate.¡± He hissed, shoving his walking stick into the embers, stirring them violently. Sparks and cinders flew into the air, dancing around him like vengeful moths drawn to a wrathful inferno. ¡°He cursed his lack of foresight, and the death of his best friend. Regret weighed heavily on his soul. It was then that the ground beneath his feet gave way."

    The storyteller exhaled a big cloud of smoke, letting go of the walking stick and allowing the fire to settle down.

    "As he fell, the good captain laid eyes on a river of fire. A sight no mortal man should ever bear witness to.¡± ¡°Screaming and kicking against his miserable fate, he was powerless to stop his fall. A hole opened in the river to swallow him whole." Rudd said, playing with his pipe.

    Ionyr felt Rayza placing her hand on his, squeezing tightly. When he faced her, he found an anxious look, like she was reliving a vivid memory. Is that what she saw when he fell unconscious?

    "And swallow him, it did.¡± Rudd continued, his gaze fixed to the fire, ignorant, perhaps willfully, to their uneasy apprehension. ¡°The man, and all his regrets, were lost and forgotten by the world - taken and given a new purpose." His eyes were fixed on Ciel, who returned his stare with the same unwavering vacant curiosity. Rudd then met Ionyr¡¯s gaze, his face marred with sombre solitude. ¡°To be a guide for those that would share his fate.¡±

    ¡°So you are¡­¡± Ionyr mumbled - he could scarcely believe it, but everything he¡¯d seen and heard was pointing towards this one truth.

    ¡°Allow me to reintroduce myself.¡± Rudd stood up, leaning on his staff as he did. He appeared like a different person - unlike before, he stood up straight, and his grin was more cheery than sinister. ¡°My name is Jol E. Rudger. Though you might know me as Captain Jolly Roger of the Sea Monkeys. Call me Roger.¡±

 Chapter 11 - Where the dead dance

    ¡°But how can this be?¡± Ionyr asked. ¡°The story of the Sea Monkeys is centuries old!¡±

    ¡°Simple, really. I¡¯m immortal.¡± Jolly chuckled heartily. ¡°Rather, I was. Before you two came along.¡±

    ¡°W-why? How?¡± Rayza stammered, taken aback.

    ¡°Relax. I¡¯m rather thankful, actually.¡± Jolly said, inhaling deeply and sighing happily. ¡°Spirits, the air hasn¡¯t tasted this good in ages!¡± He stretched his back, groaning as a pleased expression graced his features. ¡°You¡¯re holding the answer to both questions, lass.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Rayza looked down, finding a cute little star gazing back. ¡°You mean Ciel?¡±

    ¡°Right you are!¡± Jolly said, plopping down on the tree stump and lighting his pipe again.¡±You two did what none of us could. You passed the Creators¡¯ test.¡±

    As Jolly finished his sentence, dozens of figures stepped into the clearing. Ionyr recognized one lady as the innkeeper - the townspeople! So they all¡­

    ¡°We were once like you. Adventurers with a spark in their eye. Something to strive for. But when the Creators glimpsed into our souls¡­¡± Jolly sighed. ¡°They found us wanting.¡±

    ¡°H-how so?¡± Rayza asked, scooting closer to Ionyr. He protectively wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

    ¡°You know, that¡¯s an excellent question.¡± Jolly laughed and shrugged ¡°Spent an eternity and a half thinking about it in that grey, lonely place. Still got no clue. But now¡­that eternity is at an end.¡± He raised an arm towards the innkeeper. ¡°If you please.¡±

    She grabbed his arm and hit it with her knee full force, and there was a loud shattering noise.

    ¡°What are you-¡±After a moment of brief shock, Ionyr realised just how unfitting that sound was - why did it sound like shattering glass? It was all too familiar...

    "No worries, nothing we haven¡¯t done before. Don¡¯t try this at home, though." Jolly presented his now cracked arm. Shards orbited around it - it looked exactly like the Creators¡¯ magic! Moments later, they all returned to where they came from, restoring his arm. Although some cracks remained, and dust trickled from them.

    "We couldn¡¯t be hurt. Couldn¡¯t age. Couldn¡¯t leave either. Prisoners in our own bodies, minds slave to another. Everlasting props on the stage the Creators built for us." He grabbed his lantern from the end of his staff and sat back down. "Have you heard?" He showed them his purple flame. "Souls are like fire.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Just heard it from a reliable source not too long ago.¡± Ionyr said, nodding.

    ¡°In the moment of death, the most dominant energy is deeply inscribed upon it." Jolly said, wiping the ash and soot off the lantern. ¡°If you¡¯re grief-stricken, that¡¯s how you will remain. Lose all hope, and you¡¯ll never find it again. Die while seeking revenge, and that will be your fate forevermore.¡±

    "So you''re all..."

    "Ghosts, yeah." Jolly interrupted him with a chuckle. He jumped up onto a branch, leaping as high as a small house with ease.  "We have long since overstayed our welcome on this earth. However, now that the Star has found its home, our sentence is at an end."

    As Jolly hung his lantern from the branch, Ionyr noticed a bunch of other, similar looking lanterns hanging from the trees, all with colourful flames dancing inside them. Jolly hopped back down and landed gracefully, as though his body weighed nothing. Cracking his neck and knuckles, he let out a pleased groan as dust fell from his joints.

    ¡°Did I mention that this place was where the dead dance?¡± Jolly asked, grumbling as he scratched his chin.

    ¡°No, why?¡±

    ¡°Darn, I must¡¯ve forgotten this time.¡± Jolly chuckled and sat back down. Dust fell from his body with every step.  ¡°Well, then you¡¯re in for a surprise. Enjoy the show.¡±

    The innkeeper suddenly began glowing, cracks appearing upon her body. With a smile, she raised her arms and completely fell apart, becoming nothing more than a shimmering dark green orb of light in a cloud of dust. The light took the shape of a young woman. Laughing and crying, she jumped and floated into the trees above.

    As the sounds of her overjoyed sobbing echoed through the clearing, the other townspeople quickly followed suit, one after the other. They all happily accepted their end with a peaceful smile. Every last colour of the spectrum, every last drop of emotion they¡¯d been forced to hold back was released all at once, bathing the clearing in an ethereal glow.

    ¡°Wow¡­¡± Rayza said beneath her breath, watching the spectacle in awe. Ionyr could barely hear her over the ghosts¡¯ happy cries. This whole ordeal was truly worth it, he thought, if only for this sight. He could see Ciel also watching it, the lights reflecting in her eyes. Her lips were slightly parted, like she too was awed by the festive dance of the dead.

    ¡°Beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡± Jolly said wistfully, puffing out smoke. ¡°We¡¯ve been alive for so long, clinging to a death that was taken from us¡­but now that it¡¯s finally been granted, we feel more alive than ever.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I kinda want to dance, too. Well, soon it¡¯ll be my time to join the stage.¡±

    ¡°Wait, why haven¡¯t you?¡± Rayza asked, leaning in closer. ¡°All the others are dancing, so why¡­?¡±

    ¡°The good captain would like to spend a little more time with the heroes that saved the day.¡± Jolly said, playing with his pipe.

    ¡°Heroes, huh?¡± Ionyr laughed. ¡°We¡¯re just explorers. Adventurers at best.¡±

    ¡°Har! That may be, lad. But to me and all those happy souls, you¡¯re a hero.¡± Jolly inhaled another puff of smoke. ¡°You know, you¡¯re not the first I¡¯ve guided to the sanctuary. Though you¡¯re the only ones that weren¡¯t put in these accursed vessels.¡±

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    ¡°Actually, something¡¯s been bothering me.¡± Ionyr said, narrowing his eyes. ¡°The Creators said that should we fail the test, our memories of this adventure would be erased. But that doesn¡¯t match up at all with what you¡¯re saying.¡±

    ¡°Funny. They told me something similar.¡± Jolly said somberly, brushing his thumb across his pipe. ¡°After failing their test, I woke up in this body. Still wonder if I¡¯m the same guy who took the test.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ionyr asked, taken aback.

    ¡°There are two options, lad. Either they were lying, and erasing memories was never on the table. Or they were telling the truth¡­but then, why can I remember everything?¡± Jolly¡¯s face was marred with an expression of dread. ¡°If the real Jolly Roger lost his memory¡­then that must make me¡­¡±

    ¡°The lost memories.¡± Ionyr finished Jolly¡¯s sentence. The old man nodded, and inhaled deeply from his pipe. The sounds of the dancing ghosts had quieted down, like they were listening in and sharing in Jolly¡¯s fear.

    ¡°Aye. Jolly Roger¡¯s memories and emotions, mind and soul, captured like a painting and placed in this eternal body.¡± Jolly played with the pipe. ¡°I have no way of knowing if I am the true captain, or an imitation created for the Creators¡¯ designs. The only thing left from his life is this.¡±

    ¡°The pipe¡­?¡± Rayza asked, tilting her head. After a brief pause, her eyes widened. ¡°Wait, is that the small memento you mentioned in your story?¡±

    ¡°Good catch, lass.¡± Jolly nodded with a smile. ¡°This pipe belonged to the good captain¡¯s best friend and first mate. It was the only thing I¡­that he could save from the storm.¡±

    They sat in silence as Jolly stared at the pipe, lost in thought. Even the ghosts and horses had fallen completely silent. Was it to apologise to Ionyr and Rayza, having knowingly led the young couple towards the same cruel fate? Or was it to mourn the ghosts¡¯, born as imitations to exist solely for a single, solitary duty?

    Perhaps it was more than that, even. Maybe this moment of silence was dedicated to the fact that despite their centuries of suffering, all of it will be pointlessly forgotten by history, lost to the jaws of time once the two last witnesses pass on.

    Jolly¡¯s left arm cracked and fell to the ground, dispersing into a cloud of dust. Looks like he didn¡¯t have much time left.

    ¡°I¡¯ve wondered for a long time why the Creators didn¡¯t pick me. How I failed their test.¡± Jolly said, breaking the silence and paying no heed to his missing limb ¡°But seeing you two¡­I think I figured it out. The reason you succeeded where we failed.¡±

    ¡°Jolly, your arm¡­¡± Ionyr said, but Rayza placed a hand on his knee and shook her head. Sighing, Ionyr picked up and stirred his soup. ¡°Why is that?¡± He asked.

    ¡°When the Creators glimpsed into our souls, they found something twisted.¡± Jolly said, playing with his pipe. ¡°Some of us desired fame. Others wealth. I desired revenge. Long story short,¡± he sighed, ¡°they found us wanting.¡±

    ¡°Literally or figuratively?¡± Ionyr joked with a small smile.

    ¡°Both, lad. Both.¡± Jolly chuckled mirthfully. ¡°When I first met you, I thought you two were the same as us. Twisted souls yearning for a certain something to complete them.¡±

    ¡°But¡­we were!¡± Rayza interjected forcefully, but quickly piped down when Ciel let out a cute little groan.

    ¡°Indeed, I saw your past when I led you through that fog - as well as your dreams. How strongly the both of you yearned for them.¡± Jolly leaned back and chuckled heartily. ¡°I also heard all about that from the innkeeper.¡±

    An echo of ghostly laughter came from the trees above. Rayza¡¯s cheeks reddened as she remembered the night before.

    ¡°Shut up.¡± She hissed, gritting her teeth in annoyed embarrassment. Ionyr pat her shoulder, making her back down.

    ¡°I think what Rayza is trying to ask is this.¡± He said as Rayza went back to cuddling with their daughter. ¡°What makes our dreams so different from yours? What makes your soul twisted, and ours not?¡±

    Jolly paused for a moment, his mouth hanging open.

    ¡°I believe¡­¡± He paused again, seemingly trying to find the right words. ¡°I believe it¡¯s not about the dreams - it¡¯s about you.¡± He brushed his thumb over the pipe, leaving a trail of dust on it. ¡°Tell me, if you had never found the Creators or founded a family, would you have regretted the choices you made?¡±

    ¡°No, not for a single second.¡± Rayza said without hesitation.

    ¡°Nope.¡± Ionyr said without missing a beat.

    ¡°There you go!¡± Jolly said, chuckling. ¡°No matter what, you lived life to the fullest, enjoying every second chasing after your dreams together. That is why they chose you.¡± As he continued playing with his pipe, his thumb broke off and fell, becoming nothing more than a pile of dust. ¡°Unlike us old codgers, who gave up on their grand dreams so long ago for our fleeting, selfish desires.¡±

    Jolly¡¯s other arm cracked and broke off, causing it to disintegrate on the ground. His pipe just barely poked out from the heap. Sighing, Jolly leaned back in his seat.

    ¡°My time is nearly up, it seems. Ah well.¡± He cracked a smile, dust falling from his face and beard. ¡°It was a good ride.¡±

    Ionyr wordlessly handed his bowl to Rayza and went over to the good captain¡¯s side. Picking up the pipe, he lit it again and held it to Jolly¡¯s mouth. They exchanged a meaningful look, upon which Jolly smiled and inhaled deeply from the pipe.

    ¡°What was your dream, Jolly?¡± Ionyr asked, brushing the dust off the pipe, revealing the initials C.D. on it.

    ¡°You know, it¡¯s been so long I can¡¯t remember.¡± The captain said, puffing out a large cloud of smoke. Staring at those initials, his eyes wistfully glowed with nostalgia. ¡°I wonder. What would you answer¡­?¡±

    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth,¡± Ionyr held the pipe to Jolly¡¯s mouth for another inhale, ¡°the stories of your adventures truly inspired me. You taught me to never stop smiling and enjoy life to the fullest. Without you¡­¡± Ionyr held the pipe to his own mouth, inhaling deeply. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be the man I am today.¡±

    ¡°Never stop smiling, hm?¡± Jolly muttered pensively, exhaling the smoke before chuckling. ¡°I wish I was able to live up to that ideal. Then again¡­wasn¡¯t that why we set off, old friend? To spread joy and laughter to the Isles?¡± He gazed at the pipe as a singular tear ran down his cheek, leaving a wet trail on his dusty face.

    ¡°Thank you, Ionyr. And thank you too, Rayza. For helping me see the light.¡± Jolly grinned, and with a loud crack, his body shone with a bright light and burst into a big cloud of smoke. The only thing left of him was a glowing purple orb, which soon took a humanoid shape.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never felt quite so alive, now that I am dead.¡± His voice echoed, before bursting into joyful laughter. ¡±Come now, my fellows! Let us dance!¡±

    As the ghosts began hopping and twirling among the lanterns in the trees, Ionyr sat back down next to Rayza. After taking one last look at the pipe, he pocketed it and took his bowl back from her.

    As they ate, they watched this magnificent spectacle - truly, despite how exhausting this day had been, it had been worth it, if only to witness this graceful dance. Among all the cheering and laughing, crying and sobbing, there was one phrase that echoed through the clearing, again and again.

    A single emotion that every lost soul here shared.

    "I hope you enjoy the lights, little Star."

 Chapter 12 - Blessings in Disguise

    The festivities went on well into the night. It was hard to tell how much time had passed exactly. All they had to go off is the campfire and the bubbling stew above it - and while the pot was steadily getting emptier with every helping they ate, the fire seemed to burn on without a care.

    Rayza set aside her bowl with a satisfied sigh. Spirits, she hadn¡¯t eaten something this tasty for weeks. Since they left the last town, actually. You always forget the rousing effect of good food until you eat some after a long fast. She looked down to find Ciel curiously eyeing her.

    Smiling, Rayza stroked her daughter¡¯s hair. She still couldn¡¯t believe it. All that she¡¯d wished for, all her life - right here, in her arms. Her pipe dream¡­had come true. What would her father say if he saw her now, she wondered. Probably some sarcastic comment. Or would he have softened up if he saw his granddaughter?

    Now, only the Spirits could know.

    Rayza wrapped her arms around Ciel and pulled her close to her chest. Humming the comforting lullaby her mother-in-law had taught her so long ago, she rocked back and forth. All the singing, laughter and dancing faded into the background as she shared this intimate moment with her baby.

    Was she humming for the child? Or was it for herself?

    To be honest, it didn¡¯t matter, and Rayza didn¡¯t care about the answer. She loved her daughter, that¡¯s all that mattered. So what if she wanted to selfishly feel bliss for once? It would definitely help distract from this light ache in her heart.

    Though she couldn¡¯t help but wonder why she still felt it, after all this time.

    ¡°Hey, Rayza.¡± Ionyr said, causing her to jolt and shoot him an angry glare. ¡°Sorry. Didn¡¯t mean to disturb you.¡± He said sheepishly. ¡°But I can¡¯t help but wonder if Ciel wants something to eat.¡±

    Huh. She hadn¡¯t even thought of that. Rayza looked down and found Ciel staring back, her expression unchanged. Made sense that she wouldn¡¯t be able to express her wants - but that would make caring for this child exceedingly difficult.

    What do children at this age eat, anyway?

    ¡°...ah.¡± Rayza said, mouth agape as it dawned on her what Ionyr was trying to get at. She looked up at the ghosts, completely ignoring them as they danced on. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± She mumbled, cheeks heating up. ¡°If there¡¯s anything for her to drink.¡±

    She glanced down at her chest. Truth be told, this was something she hadn¡¯t considered. Since she never got pregnant, would her body produce milk for Ciel? And if so¡­would this become a regular occurrence?

    ¡°Well, a baby needs milk. Better give it a shot - I¡¯d like to watch the show.¡±

    ¡°Haha, very funny.¡± She huffed, lightly punched Ionyr¡¯s sturdy arm. ¡°Idiot.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­that wasn¡¯t me.¡± Ionyr said awkwardly, pointing up. When she checked what he was pointing at, she found¡­

    ¡°Hey.¡± Roger¡¯s translucent form, floating above them. He¡¯d been hidden in the rainbow colours of the dance, since his own was constantly changing with it. ¡°Please continue. Pretend like I¡¯m not even here.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so lucky that you¡¯re already dead.¡± Rayza hissed, burying her face in her hands to hide her embarrassment. Roger laughed, his shape shimmering with a joyous yellow.

    ¡°True!¡± He said, laughing as he floated away to rejoin the others. ¡°Guess it¡¯s all a matter of perspective, lass!¡±

    ¡°Prick.¡± Rayza muttered.

    ¡°Come on, Rayza.¡± Ionyr sighed. ¡°Not in front of Ciel.¡±

    ¡°Oh shit, you¡¯re right!¡± She exclaimed, freezing as she realised her mistake. Ionyr gave her a look that screamed ¡®Really?¡¯, making her sigh.¡±Yeah, I¡¯ll do my best.¡±

    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to stop completely.¡± He said, placing his hand on her back. ¡°It¡¯s part of your charm.¡± Leaning in, he grinned at his daughter.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you agree, Ciel?¡± The baby stared blankly. ¡°She agrees.¡± Ionyr declared matter-of-factly.

    ¡°You idiot.¡± Rayza said with a chuckle, facepalming. ¡°Though then again¡­¡± She placed a hand on his cheek. ¡°That¡¯s a part of your charm.¡±

    ¡°Aw, Rayza¡­not in front of everyone!¡± Ionyr said, jutting his thumb to the side. When she turned to look, she saw a crowd of ghosts, eagerly watching them.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind us.¡± Roger said, grinning cheekily. ¡°Just pretend we aren¡¯t here.¡±

    ¡°You damn ghosts¡­¡± Rayza mumbled, her eye twitching with fury. She shot up and took a deep breath before letting loose an ear-shattering yell. ¡°FUCK OFF!¡±

    ¡°Yikes! Real sailor¡¯s mouth on this one. Quick fellas, run for your life!¡± Roger and the other ghosts laughed as they took to the skies once again. Ionyr joined in their mirth with an awkward chuckle.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re upset, but-¡±  She silenced him by angrily pressing her lips to his - taking her sweet time to wrestle tongues in a passionate exchange. Only once she needed air did she part lips. Ionyr was evidently dazed, staring off into space momentarily. ¡°What the-¡±

    ¡°Now I¡¯ll stop swearing.¡± Rayza said, sitting down beside him. Checking on the ghosts, she saw them all merrily dancing once again, unaware of what she did. Good.

    ¡°While I did enjoy that¡­¡± Ionyr said, wiping the saliva off his lips, ¡°I don¡¯t think we should do that in front of Ciel either.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± Rayza sighed dejectedly. ¡°Really needed that one, though.¡±

    ¡°Same here. Now, about feeding her - what should we do?¡± Ionyr scratched his head.

    ¡°Good question.¡± She hummed, caressing Ciel¡¯s cheek. If only the Creators had left something for them to figure out these sorts of questions.

    ¡­ah. Right.

    ¡°Need to grab something from your pouch real quick.¡± Rayza flicked it open and deftly pulled out the Creators¡¯ tablet.

    ¡°Oh. Forgot about that.¡± Ionyr said upon seeing it, seeming a little apprehensive as Rayza began inspecting it from every angle. It really seemed to just be a flat, smooth stone. There was no obvious way for her to interact with it.

    ¡°How do you use this thing?¡± She mumbled under her breath.

    ¡°Answer: you just did, dumbass.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯re you calling a dumbass!?¡± Rayza yelled, glaring at Ionyr.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything!¡± He said, raising his hands in surprise at the sudden accusation.

    ¡°Then who did?¡± She hissed, clenching her hand around the stone.

    ¡°Answer: it¡¯s the tablet speaking. The one you¡¯re currently trying, and failing to crush.¡±

    ¡°What in the Great Spirits¡¯ name¡­¡± Rayza stared at the tablet, which now had a faint white glow emanating from within. ¡°I think I figured out how to use it.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Ionyr raised an eyebrow and leaned in closer. ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°Every time I ask a question, it answers.¡± She said slowly.

    ¡°Then why can¡¯t I hear it?¡± Ionyr asked, crossing his arms.

    Yeah, why can¡¯t he hear it?

    ¡°Answer: The same way you ask the question in your mind, I answer the same way, as a thought.¡±

    ¡°This thing is amazing.¡± She said, simultaneously in awe at this marvellous creation and creeped out by this voice in her head. In fact, while it sounded different than she was used to, she did still recognize the voice as her own.

    Why was that?

    ¡°Answer: I use your mind as a conduit, empty as it may be. Therefore, my voice and character are a reflection of your own.¡± Every time it spoke, the light within flickered ever so slightly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember being such a sarcastic bitch.¡± Rayza said, feeling her anger surge.

    It remained silent.

    ¡°I¡¯m having trouble following.¡± Ionyr said, scratching his head. ¡°But are you seriously getting angry at the tablet?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Piece of shit made me question myself.¡± She said with a huff, handing it to him. ¡°You take it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been holding it for half a minute.¡± He laughed as he took it from her. ¡°So, how does it work?¡±

    He paused.

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s how.¡± He said, shuddering. ¡°By the Four Spirits, that¡¯s creepy.¡±

    ¡°I know, right?¡± Rayza said, rocking the baby. ¡°Kept acting like a right pr-¡±

    ¡°Rayza, I¡¯ve been meaning to say this.¡± Ionyr placed a finger on her lip. ¡°Not in front of Ciel.¡±

    ¡°It was really, really rude to me.¡± She corrected herself. ¡°Isn¡¯t that horrible, Ciel? How could that tablet treat your mother so badly?¡±

    ¡°Huh, that¡¯s weird.¡± Ionyr said, eyeing the tablet. ¡°It¡¯s been nice to me so far. Why is it treating us so differently¡­?¡± After a brief pause, he raised an eyebrow. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s why.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem so excited over the tablet.¡± Rayza noted, stroking Ciel¡¯s hair.

    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­too easy, you know? I¡¯d rather find out these things for myself instead of having them handed to me.¡± Ionyr sighed. ¡°Just this once, for Ciel¡¯s sake. Can we feed her the stew?¡±

    There was another pause.

    ¡°Well?¡± Rayza asked, looking at Ionyr. He seemed rather intrigued - now she wished she¡¯d been the one to ask. ¡°What did it say?¡±

    ¡°We can feed her the stew, no problem.¡± He said absent-mindedly, handing her his empty bowl. ¡°Sounds like her body and the ghosts¡¯ are rather similar.¡±

    ¡°That makes a lot of sense, actually.¡± Roger said, startling her as he floated down to their level.

    ¡°Stop doing that!¡± Rayza¡¯s yelled. Her heart couldn¡¯t take another scare today.

    ¡°Sorry.¡± Roger smiled and squatted down, meeting Ciel¡¯s gaze with a soft look in his eye. ¡°I¡¯m done with the festivities. I feel most alive right here, beside the fire. So, at this moment, I want to spend my time with you two¡­no, you three.¡±

    He reached out to pat Ciel on the head, but his hand went straight through her. The glow of his form shined through her eyes, as though he were a flame in the lantern. He retracted his hand, staring at it momentarily before letting out a weary sigh.

    ¡°That being said, it makes sense that our bodies are similar.¡± Roger noted, glancing at the pile of dust that used to be him being blown away by the wind. ¡°Same Creator and all.¡±

    ¡°So can you tell us if there¡¯s anything we need to look out for?¡± Rayza asked, reaching over to the pot to fill her bowl.

    ¡°Not really. The Creators¡¯ designs are perfect.¡± Roger said, standing up. ¡°She can probably handle more than you can - you¡¯re only human after all.¡±

    ¡°But what if she gets hurt?¡± Rayza asked. She knew her worries were likely unfounded, but still - she wanted absolute certainty that nothing could happen to her baby.

    ¡°Relax, lass.¡± Roger chuckled, lifting his legs and lying down on¡­nothing, just floating in midair. ¡°The Creators told you of the World Soul, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Ionyr said, sneakily packing away the tablet. ¡°What about it?¡±

    ¡°Good, makes this easier. Our bodies, and Ciel¡¯s, are made from the element of Earth.¡± Roger said, rocking side to side. It looked like he was lying in an invisible hammock. ¡°She is literally made from this world itself. Should anything ever actually be able to physically harm Ciel, she has the entire world to use as a bandage.¡±

    ¡°Hold on, what about that thing that happened when the innkeeper hit you?¡± Ionyr asked, leaning in, a curious glint having returned to his eyes.

    ¡°Oh, that. It¡¯s a perk of living a few centuries in that body. ¡± Roger laughed.

    ¡°Try and fail to end yourself often enough, and you start roughhousing to pass the time. Eventually you figure out how to use the body¡¯s innate magic to manipulate its broken off fragments.¡± He sighed wistfully. ¡°Though even those brawls became boring after a year or two as well.¡±

    ¡°Geez¡­that¡¯s horrible.¡± Rayza muttered. ¡°What happened when you didn¡¯t regenerate?¡±

    ¡°Tried that once. Woke up the next day, back to normal.¡± Roger shrugged. ¡°Didn¡¯t try it again. Who knows, maybe they copied my consciousness again to place in a new body.¡±

    ¡°About that¡­¡± Ionyr said, twiddling his thumbs. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking¡­there might be no way to prove that you¡¯re the real Jolly Roger. But¡­¡± He shook his head and stood up. ¡°That uncertainty, and your centuries worth of struggle that made you who you are today¡­that is yours, and yours alone. And I think that¡¯s worth something, you know?¡±

    There was an audible silence, as even the ghosts dancing above became quiet.

    ¡°Sorry, that was a weird thing to say.¡± Ionyr laughed sheepishly and sat back down. ¡°Never been good with moments like these. Just ignore what I said.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, lad.¡± Roger said firmly, a slight quiver to his voice. ¡°Your words are comforting, truly. They give this old soul some peace.¡±

    Echoing from above came a resonating chorus of agreement.

    ¡°I think the time has come.¡± Roger floated down onto the ground, joined by his fellow prisoners. ¡° Ionyr, Rayza¡­and Ciel, too. You, who bore witness to our suffering¡­we beseech you. Carry our will - our legacy into the future.¡±

    Roger knelt down on the ground, with the others quickly following suit. Their translucent bodies began lightly pulsing, letting off small sparks that sunk into the earth.

    ¡°Roger, what-?¡± Before Ionyr could finish his sentence, one of the ghosts burst, small particles of light dispersing over the area as an echo of a relieved sigh resounded in the clearing. Most landed on the ground, the few that dropped in the fire made it burn brighter, and a few landed on the family. As it touched Rayza¡¯s skin, it felt¡­warm almost. It evoked a sense of deep gratitude.

    ¡°Our time has come.¡± Roger said, a grin on his face. ¡°Now we will see if we are the real deal or not.¡±

    ¡°W-what do you mean?!¡± Rayza asked in a panic. ¡°What¡¯s happening?!¡±

    Another one burst, leaving an echo of a satisfied chuckle.

    ¡°If we are truly the people we claim to be¡­¡± Roger said, speaking over the echo. ¡°Then we are born of the World Soul. And should that be the case¡­¡±

    Three went at once, their happy echoes intermingling as sound and emotion in Rayza¡¯s body. The flames of the campfire roared as the lights touched it, burning with all the colours of the rainbow and completely engulfing the small pot hanging above it.

    ¡°Should that be the case¡­¡± Roger repeated himself. ¡°Then we will be accepted back into it¡­to be reborn anew.¡± Most of the other ghosts nodded and burst, leaving only the good captain, whose form was already giving off similar sparks of light.

    ¡°Welp, looks like it¡¯s my turn. Ionyr, Rayza¡­it¡¯s been a pleasure. And Ciel¡­¡± He said, smiling at the child. Her eyes were glowing, reflecting the lights in the clearing.  ¡°May your life be blessed, little Star. Farewell.¡±

    ¡°Roger¡­!¡± Ionyr reached out, but before he could stand up, the old man had burst, covering them in his light and leaving them only with an echo of his hearty laughter. Ionyr sat back down, bearing a mournful expression. Rayza imagined that he must be feeling it as well. The remnants of Roger¡¯s joy. She placed a hand on his, giving him a reassuring smile¡­though she also felt saddened by the old storyteller¡¯s departure.

    Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Ciel¡¯s eyes glowing faintly. As Rayza looked down to check on her daughter, her eyes widened. She realised that each time any of the ghostly lights touched Ciel, her normally blue eyes pulsed with the same colour. And slowly, the Star¡¯s expression was shifting from the usual vacant look, her eyes betraying a tiny sense of wonder.

    ¡°Ionyr, look.¡± She said quietly, so as not to disturb her daughter while pulling at his shirt.

    ¡°No, Rayza¡­look over there.¡± He replied, placing a finger under her chin and gently tilting her head up.

    ¡°But Ciel is¡­whoa¡­¡± Rayza fell silent when she saw what he was pointing at.

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    Where the ghostly sparks fell, the ground was pulsing with light and emitting a steady, deep humming noise. It was like the earth was reacting to the ghosts¡¯ death. Did this mean¡­?

    ¡°They were the real deal after all. Returned to the earth whence they came¡­accepted by the World Soul. ¡± Ionyr mumbled, standing up and cautiously approaching the throbbing earth. ¡°May you all rest in peace.¡±

    Suddenly, he was knocked off his feet as the earth began moving below him. He reacted just in time, throwing his hands to the ground to stop his head from dropping straight into the campfire.

    ¡°Are you okay?!¡± Rayza asked worriedly, and he nodded.

    ¡°Yeah, but what the hell is going on here?!¡± Ionyr exclaimed, jumping to his feet and backing away from the shifting earth. ¡°It¡¯s just one thing after another!¡±

    The ground morphed, shifting and mounting on itself to form four thin pillars.

    ¡°Is it the Creators?¡± Rayza asked, reaching for the comforting grip of her emergency dagger. Drat, it wasn¡¯t there! She must¡¯ve dropped it somewhere in the cave!

    ¡°No, this isn¡¯t an earthquake. Whatever this is, it¡¯s not using the same power as the Creators.¡± Ionyr said, protectively extending an arm before his family. ¡°Get behind me. Be ready to grab the horses.¡±

    The four pillars of earth, brimming and cracking with the ghostly light, had started to expand at their tip, resembling a blooming flower.

    Nodding, Rayza stepped towards the horses. While keeping her eye on the ongoing phenomenon, she reached out, attempting to grab the reins. However, her hand found only air. Upon glancing at where the horses were supposed to be, she did a double take.

    Both of the horses were somehow completely calm. Why? Couldn¡¯t they see what was happening? Regardless, she thought, they were good to go at a moment''s notice. She turned to let Ionyr know.

    ¡°Ionyr, the horses-¡±

    As she turned, she found that the four pillars had grown into the shape of a four-legged animal. Extending upwards from its torso, the earth morphed into the shape of a skull. From the top, two small horns began to form, slowly growing larger and larger. Once the horns reached a certain length, they forked into two branches.

    Rayza quickly realised the shape these horns were going to take, as they branched off once more. Once the antlers stopped growing, she glanced back at the horses, who had now bent one of their knees, stretching out the other before them. Were they¡­bowing?

    ¡°Something isn¡¯t right¡­¡± Ionyr mumbled, taking a step back. ¡°I¡¯m getting goosebumps, but somehow¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not nervous, right?¡± She said, nodding. ¡°Same here.¡±

    ¡°Smell any danger?¡± He asked, seemingly hoping for a positive. Unfortunately, she had to disappoint him.

    ¡°No.¡± Rayza shook her head. ¡°I feel oddly calm.¡±

    ¡°Same here. This is new to me.¡± He said, his gaze firmly affixed to the effigy before them.

    By this point, it was clear what it was morphing into: a mighty stag, ghostly energy brimming from the tiny cracks in its earthen shell. Slowly, surely, that shell was starting to fall off, revealing a form of pure light inside.

    Ionyr took a step back. Suddenly, the figure began to stir. It shook, gently at first, then stronger and stronger as it struggled to free itself. Eventually, its shell burst open as it managed to break out a leg. As the dust settled, Rayza finally got a good look at it.

    The limb was akin to hot iron, shining brightly with the remains of the ghosts¡¯ power - though as it settled, it revealed a thin leg, seemingly made of tree bark. Another leg quickly followed suit, and it didn¡¯t take much longer for the entire body to burst free.

    Shaking off the dust revealed this being¡¯s true form - its body appeared like a stag¡¯s skeleton, entirely made of a tree¡¯s bark, healthy and stout. Its hooves were of stone, not too dissimilar to those under their feet. The ghostly energy coated it, but imperfectly, stirring and moving, leaving gaps to peek at the main body beneath.

    Its head was made of the same bark, yet darkened and deadened. With the energy never reaching up to the head, it left the skull underneath permanently exposed. In its eye sockets, there was no light. But upon each of its antlers, branched manyfold, sat a small flame. None of them shared a colour, and sat at the very end of each branch, flickering calmly in the wind.

    Having broken free, it could stretch to its full size, easily towering over Ionyr. As it stood proudly in the clearing, it looked up to the sky. There was a certain majesty to the beast as it seemingly took in the moment.

    Rayza was stunned silent. What was this being? Why did she feel so oddly calm upon seeing it? And despite that calmness, there was this undeniable, and inexplicable reverence in the very core of her being. Somehow, in the back of her mind, she knew what it was - perhaps she¡¯d read it in a book as a child, but it escaped her now.

    Instinctively, she reached for Ionyr¡¯s hand. He grabbed and held it tightly, turning around to give her a reassuring smile - though the edges of his mouth were quivering. He, too, was unsure what to feel.

    The being stepped forward, looking around the clearing, each movement slow, deliberate and graceful. It appeared to be searching for something. As its gaze fell on Rayza, it stopped momentarily. Tilting its head, it took another step closer. Each step it took left an echoing sound hanging in the air, that of a dewdrop falling in water.

    Ionyr immediately moved in front of her. It stopped and observed him curiously. Then it snorted - even that left a haunting echo as it turned around. It kept searching, until its gaze fell on one of the villager¡¯s lanterns, hanging from a nearby tree.

    Despite everything, Rayza couldn¡¯t help but watch this being gracefully trot about the clearing. She was entranced by it - deep inside her, she felt it. She knew Ionyr felt it too - as did their bowing steeds. This was not a sight meant for mortal eyes. Everything about this situation felt so damn familiar - so why couldn¡¯t she put her finger on it?

    Looking up, the stag saw the rest of the lanterns hanging from the trees. It turned around and glanced at them again, letting out an echoing snort. Was it¡­trying to communicate?

    It then stretched its head upward, its mouth wide open. The air shook as it emitted a white aura, a bubble of comfort cast from its skull and antlers that soothed everything it enveloped. The trees¡¯ black bark slowly regained its colour; the ground became moist and fertile; and the black fog at the edge of the clearing was blown away.

    Ionyr stood firm as the aura enveloped him, his expression unsure - so Rayza stood by him, letting the soft white light wash over her. She felt all her worries wash away, all at once. A deep calm took over her body as she listened to the being¡¯s roar, a deep, soothing sound. Indeed, it was roaring, she realised now that she was bathed in the light. It reminded Rayza of a soft breeze blowing through an old tree - a forest flute.

    And it was at this moment she realised what this being was. Back when she was a child, she¡¯d read all about it - but only once, for she never got a second chance. Her father had hidden away that book right after; the book about the World Soul. The passage appeared in her mind, as clear as if it were yesterday.

    Whether animal or human, we are all but fragments of the world we call home. We were not created by it, for we are part of it - therefore, we all had a hand in its creation. Upon our death, we return to the earth we were born from.

    From that earth, new life arises in a different form. Our bodies¡¯ ashes give rise to plants, which are eaten by animals, which are then killed by us humans. It is a big cycle in which nothing is truly ever created or destroyed.

    With our bodies gone, something must also happen to our souls as well - for they are in need of a new vessel. The energy is returned to the world, to help give rise to the next generation of life. Should enough death, and therefore enough souls, gather in one place, this should birth a higher form of life than simple plants.

    If one considers their nature, this could explain the origins of the most mysterious form of life on this world, elusive and mystical - the Spirits, amalgam of plant and animal. This remains a theory, as the birth of a Spirit, be it of minor or greater nature, has yet to be observed.

    Rayza watched with renewed awe as the Spirit Stag continued its soft roar, raising its head higher and higher, until it eventually tore itself from its torso. Floating up, the skull was trailed by a white mist, a sort of ectoplasm that flowed from the hole in its neck. Once the light had fully left the body, the wooden skeleton fell to the ground, lifeless.

    Approaching the lantern, the Spirit then lightly scooped it up with one of its antlers¡¯ many branches. Carefully, slowly, deliberately, making sure not to break it. The flame at the end of said antler flickered happily as it nestled down in its new home.

    After the small light settled down in the lantern, the stag then flew up, towards the other lanterns. Small droplets of its form dripped down, causing flowers to bloom on the earth they touched. Gracefully, it flew around the top of the clearing, spinning its head while scooping up the other lanterns as it went by.

    It almost looked like¡­it was dancing. Just like¡­

    Shortly after it had gathered all the remaining lanterns and let the flames settle inside, the Spirit floated up above the trees and looked over the forest. Examining every direction, it then gathered up its energy before releasing another great, soothing roar.

    With that roar, all the black fog that coated the ground in the forest began flowing up, towards the Spirit, circling around its antlers. As more and more of it gathered, the fog began clinging to the lanterns like moths to a flame. Eventually, the last of the mist arrived from the forest to circle the skull, enveloping it completely.

    There was a sudden lull. A silent beat amidst this magnificent act. Then the stag roared again. With a mighty burst, the black mist exploded from away from the skull, collecting in small orbs that hung in the air for just a brief moment. They were then sucked into the lanterns, all at once, leaving only the shimmering white aura of the Spirit.

    It roared again, releasing its white mist to wash over the sea of trees in pulsing waves. Everything the light touched was revitalised - with each wave, the dreary swamp turned into a luscious forest of pine and oak, covered in mushrooms and vines. Bit by bit, the black trees regained their natural colour, and small patches of grass began to grow on the dry ground.

    With each and every roar, with each and every wave of light, life was returned to the dead nature. The plants pulsed with a soft glow, in rhythm with the soft flute that was the beast¡¯s roar - as though they were singing along.

    The Spirit, after observing its work, flew back down to its body that it had left behind. Slowly, gracefully, it attached its skull back in its place as the white mist returned to the wooden skeleton. After repossessing its body, it rose to its feet, looking around the clearing once more.

    It was completely unrecognisable - where before there was only a dead forest, sapped of strength, now stood a lush bastion of natural beauty. Releasing an echoing snort, as though satisfied with its work, the Spirit¡¯s gaze wandered onto the family. Once it found them, it stepped a little closer.

    The dim lights in its eye sockets were firmly affixed to Ciel as it approached. Ionyr extended his arms, blocking its view of his daughter. The stag stopped and stared at him briefly. As it kept eye contact, its head vibrated, causing the lanterns to shake and let out a wooden rattling noise.

    Only then did Rayza realise that the lanterns had morphed - before, they were clearly metal, but now they were seemingly made of wood. As though they¡¯d been absorbed into the Spirit and made part of its body, their entire structure had changed. The flames valiantly burned brightly within the darkness contained in the lanterns, each its own colour. As the stag shook its head, the colours mixed and melded into a gently glowing rainbow.

    Those flames¡­could they truly be¡­?

    ¡°S¡­¡±

    Yes, that voice¡­

    ¡°Safe¡­¡±

    It sounded like many different voices, overlapping and congeling into an amalgam that was at once haunting, yet maintained a calmingly soft tone - a choir to accompany the deep flute.

    The Spirit stopped shaking its head, and the glow faded. It then took another step, lowering its head down to their level. Ionyr glanced back at her, unsure. Rayza looked at Ciel, who was curiously staring at the Spirit. She herself was uncertain on what to do. She couldn¡¯t sense any danger¡­yet still felt nervous.

    They¡¯d never encountered a Spirit on their travels before - few people had. The stories she¡¯d heard about them varied wildly.

    Guardians of nature, peaceful, stout and kind.

    Manifestations of nature¡¯s beauty, hidden, wary and distant.

    Nature¡¯s avengers, violent, merciless and quick to anger.

    Was she willing to bet her newborn¡¯s life on this one not being the latter?

    Seemingly sensing her hesitance, the beast stopped and shook its head once more.

    ¡°Star¡­¡±

    It spoke, before stopping and lowering its head. Was it¡­bowing? Suddenly, Ciel pulled one of her small arms from the cloth and raised it towards the stag.

    ¡°Ciel?¡± Rayza asked, but her daughter was ignoring her. Her eyes were affixed to the Spirit, a miniscule twinkle in her eyes. Rayza¡¯s jaw slackened. Was this the first sign of humanity in the Star? ¡°...alright.¡± She said with a sigh, smiling.

    Ciel was Ionyr¡¯s daughter after all. It only made sense that she be reckless in the name of her curiosity. Rayza stepped past Ionyr, giving him a nod. Seeing her smile, he seemed reassured. Taking a deep breath, she presented Ciel to the stag.

    The Spirit curiously eyed the baby, tilting its head as it leaned in for a closer look. Ciel reached out, awkwardly trying to touch her hand to the Spirit¡¯s skull. Snorting, the stag touched its snout to the Star¡¯s hand.

    A white gleam emanated from where the hand and skull touched, which seemingly caused the mist to creep up the neck of the Spirit ever so slightly. Forming a thin, flashing coat around its head similar to its body, it revealed the visage of a beautiful stag. With small, barely noticeable pulses, the lights in both their eyes flickered, as though they were somehow communicating. Rayza watched the whole thing with bated breath.

    What was happening?

    But before she could find an answer to that question, the light faded and the stag retracted its head. Looking at Ciel for a short moment, then letting its gaze wander over Ionyr and Rayza, the Spirit took a step back. The Star still tried to reach out, trying to pat the stag¡¯s head, but it was unfortunately too far a reach for her small arm.

    It turned around and lowered its head, as if to graze in the meadow it had created. Then, from within the Spirit¡¯s body, a small azure orb formed, shining brightly. The orb made its way through the neck and up to the mouth.

    As the Spirit opened its jaws, the ball of light dropped into the ground, causing a splash - like dropping a stone into a lake, blue waves of energy travelled from that spot and over the entire clearing. The stag turned around again to face them, rattling the lanterns.

    ¡°Safe...now¡­under my¡­protection.¡±

    With that, it trotted off into the forest, disappearing in the blue haze.

    ¡°...what just happened?¡± Ionyr said, baffled.

    ¡°I have no idea¡­¡± Rayza muttered, pulling Ciel closer to her chest. Her daughter¡¯s eyes no longer held that wondrous twinkle, going back to that blank expression. Sighing, she tucked in the exposed arm. ¡°I¡¯m exhausted.¡±

    ¡°Tell me about it. I was sweating bullets there.¡± Ionyr laughed, patting her on the back. ¡°By the way, we still haven¡¯t fed her.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah. Right.¡± Rayza sighed and went back to her seat, grabbing the bowl of stew. By some miracle, it was still slightly warm.

    As Ionyr sat down beside her, she went to feed Ciel a spoonful. Her daughter watched the spoon with mild curiosity before allowing it in. After swallowing, Ciel then opened her mouth again without a single change in her expression, silently asking for another serving.

    ¡°What do you think it meant?¡± Ionyr asked, watching their bonding moment with a tired smile. ¡°By ¡®under my protection¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Beats me.¡± Rayza sighed as she scooped up another spoonful to feed Ciel. ¡°I¡¯m just happy we¡¯re done with the surprises for today. Too much, if you ask me.¡±

    However, Ciel didn¡¯t seem interested in the stew any longer - her gaze was fixed in the direction where the Spirit had headed. Rayza tried lightly prodding the Star¡¯s cheek with the spoon to get her attention, but to no avail.

    ¡°You might¡¯ve jinxed it¡­¡± Ionyr mumbled.

    ¡°What are you talking ab-¡± Rayza said, looking up and having her words get stuck in her throat.

    ¡°We¡¯re in for another surprise, it looks like.¡± Ionyr said, glancing at the horses. They seemed calm, having stood up with closed eyes, ready to sleep.

    In the middle of the clearing, where the Spirit had dropped the orb, there was now a small sapling in the ground. This wouldn¡¯t be all too surprising, were it not for the fact that it was growing at a speed far quicker than is natural. With every passing moment, the sapling grew another arm¡¯s length. It didn¡¯t take long for it to be as tall as Ionyr, and it didn¡¯t look like it was stopping.

    The thin stem quickly became a thick trunk covered in dark bark, easily half as wide as the whole clearing. Roots began to shoot from the place it had been planted, shooting between the surrounding trees, snaking around them as though they had a mind of their own. As the roots nestled down, they began to pulse with the azure glow of the orb, coating their vicinity with an ethereal blue haze.

    Letting its essence flow into the forest, the tree began to grow ever larger until it towered over every other - and it was then that at its crown, the Spirit¡¯s orb resurfaced, many times bigger than before.

    It shined brightly, before tendrils burst forth from it. They shot high into the sky, then slowly started drooping down, until they almost touched the ground. Then, from the bottom up, they began to unfold, revealing shimmering azure leaves. Swaying in the wind, they also emitted the azure haze, slowly distributing the ether through the forest.

    ¡°Is this the power¡­of a Spirit?¡± Rayza said, watching the scenery with a slack jaw and wide eyes.

    ¡°That can¡¯t be a simple Spirit.¡± Ionyr said, his voice trembling with awe as he approached the Spirit¡¯s tree.

    ¡°You think it¡¯s a Greater Spirit?¡± Rayza asked as she stood up and joined his side.

    ¡°Must be.¡± He nodded, and traced his hand along the tree¡¯s bark. Wherever his hand touched, the brown bark shimmered azure for a few moments, even after he removed it. ¡°Otherwise we¡¯d have trees like these all over the country. Actually, this tree kind of reminds me of the one we used to have in our backyard.¡±

    ¡°The willow?¡± She asked, running the long leaves through her hands. ¡°Yeah, they are pretty similar.¡±

    ¡°Alright then.¡± Ionyr leaned against the tree, grinning at her. ¡°I got to name our daughter. Now it¡¯s your turn.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± She raised an eyebrow. ¡°You mean the tree?¡±

    ¡°Well, that Spirit did create it just for us, right?¡± He said with a chuckle. ¡°And since we¡¯re the first to discover it¡­we also need a name to write on the map.¡±

    ¡°I guess.¡± Rayza sighed. ¡°What about the Spirit Willow?¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Ionyr tilted his head smugly. ¡°That¡¯s the best you got?¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡± She said grumpily. ¡°It fits.¡±

    ¡°Come on, you can come up with something better than that! I mean, just look at this!¡± He gestured towards the tree¡¯s crown. ¡°Something so amazing deserves, no, needs a name just as fantastic!¡±

    ¡°Ugh, fine.¡± Rayza sighed and closed her eyes, trying to come up with something better. However, that was exceptionally difficult, with the sound of the roots, constantly pulsing in a slow, steady rhythm - just far enough apart to be annoying.

    ¡°Can¡¯t think with this damn noise!¡± She yelled, kicking against the root, only to be knocked over at the next pulse. ¡°Piece of¡­¡±

    ¡°Rayza¡­watch it.¡± Ionyr said, helping her up. Unfortunately, it did nothing to aid with her grumpiness.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, no swearing. Geez, how strongly is this tree pumping¡­¡± She stopped. She got it - the perfect name. ¡°Heart of the forest.¡±

    ¡°¡®Heart of the forest¡¯....¡± Ionyr said, closing his eyes in deep thought before nodding approvingly.  ¡°I like it. Way better.¡±

    ¡°Fantastic.¡± Rayza said with a sigh. ¡°Now onto the important questions.¡± She held out her hand.

    ¡°Really?¡± Ionyr said disappointedly. ¡°You want to just ruin the whole mystery?¡±

    ¡°Can you blame me?¡± She replied, walking over and reaching for the pouch containing the tablet. ¡°I¡¯m curious.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± He grabbed her hand while shaking his head. ¡°We¡¯re not using it.¡±

    ¡°Why not? Aren¡¯t you curious too?¡± Rayza said, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡± Ionyr sighed, a wistful gloom in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s no fun, you know? I really enjoyed talking with you and Roger, slowly figuring things out¡­using the tablet feels like cheating.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t have a problem checking it earlier.¡± She pulled her hand from his grip.

    ¡°That was for Ciel.¡± He leaned down and stroked his daughter¡¯s forehead. ¡°For her¡­I¡¯ll look past myself.¡±

    Rayza seized the opportunity and snagged the pouch from his belt, pulling out the tablet.

    ¡°Oi!¡± Ionyr yelled, seeing it in her hands. His expression turned sour. ¡°Whatever. Do what you want.¡±

    He grumpily went to sit back down. As Rayza watched him go, she wondered. Was this really worth it? What was she even going to ask?

    ¡°Answer: You could start with the Spirit. Is it a simple Spirit, a Greater Spirit, or even one of the Four? Or what about the tree? How will it affect the ecosystem? There¡¯s too many questions to think of, so just take your pick already!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother.¡± Rayza mumbled, dropping the tablet back into the pouch and heading to Ionyr¡¯s side. ¡°Some things are more important.¡± After sitting down beside him, she handed him his pouch. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°Whatever questions you asked, don¡¯t tell me.¡± Ionyr said, taking back the tablet.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for anything.¡± She said softly, placing her head on his shoulder.

    ¡°Really?¡± He sounded surprised. His expression quickly softened, as did his tone. ¡°Thank you. I appreciate it.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Rayza watched the tree¡¯s leaves gently moving in the late night breeze. Truth be told, she¡¯d figured that Ionyr would have a distaste for the Creator¡¯s gift from the start. ¡°This is about Ielus, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°You got me.¡± He said with a light chuckle. ¡°He¡¯s out there, slaving away for the Ashen Order - pursuing his research in the hope that it¡¯ll lead him to the Creators. And here we are, getting a free pass to their infinite knowledge by pure happenstance.¡±

    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t take that well.¡± She giggled.

    ¡°Yeah. Ielus would hate our guts.¡± Ionyr became sombre. ¡°And I don¡¯t want that to happen when he meets his niece.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Rayza said, briefly pausing. ¡°So we¡¯re heading home, then?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s get some proper sleep first.¡± He said with a nod, then looked up at the tree. ¡°I¡¯d like to find out personally what it means to sleep under a Spirit¡¯s protection. Then we go.¡±

    ¡°Thank the Four.¡± Rayza said with a yawn. ¡°I¡¯ve been craving sleep since we got out of the cave.¡±

    ¡°Same.¡± Ionyr said with a weak laugh. ¡°This has been one long day, hasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°As long as it was, it was a good day too.¡± Rayza said, catching one last glimpse of her daughter before closing her eyes. ¡°Good night, Ionyr. Good night, Ciel.¡±

    ¡°Good night, Rayza. I¡¯ll take the first watch.¡±

    ¡°Thanks¡­¡±

    Rayza dozed off, finally getting her well-deserved rest after this long adventure. Tired as she may be, there was an undeniable excitement that bubbled in her soul. At long last, her dream life had begun.

 Chapter 13 - The way forward

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">REWRITE: Ielus is part of the nightmare</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400"> </li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">NEW Rayza POV: waking up in forest well-rested like children (keep this in mind as soft symbolism), animals have returned without shyness, fox goes to her to be pet, she and Ciel have fun until Ionyr wakes up from a nightmare, the fox runs away, Rayza is annoyed at him  at first for ruining the scene, but quickly realizes he had a nightmare, so she plays a game with him to distract him, Ciel blinks twice so he gets to know what happened, he apologizes before asking since when foxes are that friendly, Rayza says they aren¡¯t, and wonders if this has anything to do with the nature of the forest, as they get ready to leave, checking supplies and finding ravager meat with a note, everything they lost in the caves has been saved by the Creators and placed in their saddlebags, they plan their next route to Postitia to send letters, and see the fox watching them from a distance, it¡¯s clear he¡¯s afraid of Ionyr,

    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s scared of you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d say he¡¯s more jealous. Won¡¯t stop glaring at me.¡±

    ¡°He? Why he?¡±

    ¡°As a guy myself, I also prefer your company.¡±

    ¡°Should¡¯ve guessed. Sigh. By the four, why did I marry such a dirty-minded idiot¡­¡±

    ¡°Love you, babe.¡±

    Ionyr gets to hold Ciel and notes how she seems bigger than before, when Rayza teases him and asks whether he suddenly became too weak to hold his daughter, he laughs and boasts that for her, Papa could muster up the strength to move mountains -> referenced in the bandit attack

    Ciel tilts her head, looking at Rayza, slowly saying ¡°Pa¡­pa?¡±, they both lose their minds and start playfully arguing, Ionyr says her first words were Papa, but she retorts that Ciel was looking at her, so she obviously meant her, so she points at herself and says slowly ¡°Mama. Ma¡­ma.¡±, Ciel stares before asking ¡°Mama¡­also¡­move¡­mountain?¡±, Ionyr laughs and says no, that¡¯s just Papa, Rayza shoots him a glare before sighing and relenting, saying that Ionyr is thick-headed enough that the mountains wouldn¡¯t even try to move him,

    Ciel asks ¡°What¡­Mama¡­do?¡±, and before Rayza can reply, Ionyr says ¡°She makes sure I don¡¯t try to move every mountain we come across¡±, Ciel pauses and says ¡°Mama¡­smart.¡±, Ionyr grumbles ¡°Great, now there are two of them¡±, and as Rayza laughs, he notes how oddly verbose she is for a newborn, as they pause to look at her, Ciel looks between the two and asks whether she is odd, Rayza is quick to deny it, saying she¡¯s just a normal child, she sees Ionyr¡¯s uncertain eyes, and realises that she might be overstepping, but all she wanted was a  normal family, and she wants to raise Ciel as such, Ionyr caves and confirms, saying Ciel isn¡¯t odd, she¡¯s just Ciel, Rayza shoots him a grateful look, mentally promising to make it up to him later, when Ciel asks where they¡¯re going, Rayza smiles and says ¡°Our family/dream home.¡±

    </li>

    </ul>

    ¡°It¡¯s dawn. Wake up.¡±

    Just a little longer, please¡­

    ¡°It¡¯s dawn. Wake up.¡±

    Turn it off, Ionyr. Turn the damn thing off.

    ¡°It¡¯s dawn. Wake up.¡±

    ¡°Ugh, fuck off.¡± Rayza thought as she forced her eyes open. Drowsy and grumpy, she reached for Raev¡¯s Get-em-up, its green glow blurrily visible through her twitchy eyelids. She had to fumble around some as her eyes fought against her, doing their best to close again.

    ¡°It¡¯s-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m up. Stupid piece of junk..¡± Rayza mumbled, cutting it off. ¡°Thanks for nothing.¡±

    The green glow faded, and she let her hand drop onto the soft grass with a sigh, ready to snooze a little longer. She was just too cosy. The warm, gentle breeze caressing her face, the warm blanket covering her legs, and whatever soft object she was leaning against - Rayza hadn¡¯t felt this comfortable and well-rested in ages.

    She felt something tickling her hand. Probably an errant blade of grass stirred by the breeze. Distracting enough to keep her from sleeping. Nope, she thought as she drowsily put her hand on her lap, I earned these moments of rest and you won¡¯t take them from me.

    There it was again. This time, Rayza also felt a hot, wet sensation graze that same hand. Letting out an annoyed tut, she tucked her hand under the blanket. Must not be a blade of grass after all. Whatever it was, it wouldn¡¯t be able to annoy her now that her hand was covered.

    She then felt a small weight tapping on her thighs. Great, she thought, so it¡¯ll be like this now? Another one quickly joined it, followed by two more. Finally, she felt something small curling up in her lap.

    Hold on. Rayza, in her half-sleep, had a sudden realisation. Her eyes shot open to find a fox nuzzled in her lap.

    ¡°What the f-¡± She exclaimed, jolting awake.

    Her startled movements caused the fox to jump out of her lap, landing a few feet away from her. Its fur was the colour of autumnal trees, a deep amber accentuated by a charcoal black on its paws and the tips of its ears. Its eyes were a cold blue, gazing at her with a confused, almost hurt look as it tilted its head. Rayza took a moment to gather her bearings.

    Right, she¡¯d fallen asleep under the Spirit Willow. Along with the blue ether, there was a soothingly nostalgic smell in the air¡­lavender. Wait, more pressingly, when did animals return to the forest?  This place was barren just yesterday.

    Besides the fox before her, she could hear both birds and bugs happily chirping as though this had been their home for eons. Rayza recognised a few of their songs from the woods around their home¡­a lot of them, actually.

    There also seemed to be a lot of lavender growing in the area. Odd, it usually grew in dry areas - fitting for the barren state the forest was in yesterday, but now¡­not so much. Then again, lavender also did grow in her and Ionyr¡¯s garden, so maybe that rule wasn¡¯t all too hard and fast¡­

    Intriguing, to say the least. Wait, Rayza, she told herself. More pressing issues, she thought, looking up at the fox that had just been in her lap. Right under her nose¡­where Ciel¡¯s sling was.

    Rayza¡¯s eyes widened and she immediately looked down to check on her daughter. Ciel was happily and calmly dozing. Thank the Four, Rayza thought as she heaved a sigh of relief.

    Pulling Ciel closer to calm herself, Rayza noticed small ripples in the blue ether surrounding her daughter¡¯s face. Was she breathing? Did she even need to? Or was that just something the Star did to understand humans better? Rayza stroked Ciel¡¯s hair while briefly pondering these questions.

    Actually, what about Ionyr? What was he dreaming of, she wondered, turning to look at him. When Rayza saw what happened to her husband, she quickly covered her mouth, but couldn¡¯t hold back some admittedly childish giggling.

    Two birds had made a nest in his scruffy hair, seemingly overnight. They were completely ignoring her, instead just nuzzling each other with happy chirps. She recognized them as Lullabirds, nocturnal avians. According to her father¡¯s books, their song was impossible to hear by the human ear. Though, in her final moments, Ionyr¡¯s mother¡­nevermind.

    Rayza quickly returned her attention to the fox. The critter had not once moved from his spot, still staring back at her with a tilted head. ¡°Come here.¡± She said softly, smiling as she beckoned the fox closer. ¡°I won¡¯t bite, promise.¡±

    Seeing her smile, it trotted back to her side, a light, happy spring in its step all the way. It nuzzled her arm with its head, happily purring as she scratched its neck, doubly so once she reached the top of its head. While petting her little friend, Rayza felt movement around her chest, accompanied by an adorable little wince.

    ¡°Sorry, Ciel. Did I wake you?¡± Rayza whispered, her hand travelling under the fox¡¯ chin. Its mouth curved into a goofy, blissful smile as the purrs intensified. She giggled. Looked like she was hitting the spot. ¡°Or was it Mister Fox here?¡± She leaned forward slightly to let Ciel have a peek at the critter. The fox raised its snout, sniffing the sling with a certain degree of hesitance, but undeniably curious.

    The moment the two pairs of blue eyes met, everything ceased. Complete silence. Staring at each other, unable to understand what they were seeing. Then, as trained, both Ciel and the fox tilted their heads - the same way, the same distance, the same blank curiosity in their expressions. Though, there was still that hint of hesitance in the fox¡¯ eyes, along with another emotion, one Rayza was unable to decipher.

    Despite that, she couldn¡¯t deny how it tickled her heart to see the two like this. It had been long since she¡¯d witnessed something so cute. Was this how the mother from ¡®A pipe dream¡¯ felt, seeing her daughter play with the neighbour¡¯s pet dog? How much better it was in real life, compared to the stories! Though admittedly, she could do without the critter¡¯s rather pungent odor.

    Rayza touched Ionyr¡¯s shoulder, smiling as she watched them sway their heads side to side, in a manner that appeared almost like a conversation. He had to see this.

    ¡°Hey, Ionyr. Wake up.¡± She whispered quietly.

    ¡°Hrm¡­what¡­?¡± Ionyr awoke with a yawn.

    ¡°Look.¡± She directed his attention towards the fox standing up on its hind legs and tentatively sniffing Ciel¡¯s face.

    ¡°No!¡± Ionyr yelled, startled, his eyes wide. ¡°Get away from my family!¡± He raised his fist, knuckles white. Rayza¡¯s eyes widened, and she just barely managed to pull Ciel closer to her chest.

    He threw the punch, barely missing. The fox narrowly dodged and fled into the mist. The birds on his head bolted as well, disappearing in the trees. The only thing still with them in the clearing was the echo of his outburst.

    ¡°Are you nuts?!¡± Rayza angrily shouted. Her heart was pounding. Ciel could probably hear it. ¡°What was that¡­for¡­¡±

    The sentence got stuck in her throat. She could see his pupils jittering - his breaths quick and uneven. Still half-asleep.

    She relaxed as the anger vanished. Of course. How could she have forgotten?

    ¡°Ionyr, it¡¯s okay.¡± Rayza said, her fear dissipating. Placing a hand on his cheek, she tilted his head her way. Smiling kindly, she gazed into his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s safe. You¡¯re awake. The nightmare is over.¡±

    He blinked a few times, his pupils calming down, his gaze steadying, focusing on her. ¡°What¡­¡± Ionyr looked around, confused, then realised his fist was still raised. His eyes widened slightly. ¡°Did I¡­again¡­?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± She caressed his cheek. ¡°You were just startled, is all.¡±

    He quietly lowered his fist. ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡± Ionyr muttered, staring at his tensed hand. ¡°There was no nightmare - didn¡¯t even dream. But still, I¡­¡±

    ¡°I said not to worry. It¡¯s not your fault.¡± She gave him a quick peck and ran her hand through his hair. ¡°Shame those animals ran off though.¡±

    ¡°Animals? So the fox was real?¡± He raised an eyebrow, balking when she presented one of the sticks stuck in his scruffy hair.

    ¡°Yeah. And just to name a few off the top of your head, there was a pair of Lullabirds too.¡± She giggled. ¡°They were building a nest in your hair.¡±

    Running his hand along his scalp, the entire pile of sticks tumbled from his head. ¡°Huh.¡± He deadpanned. ¡°Thought I was supposed to be the one with the dad jokes.¡± His voice was too stiff for his joke to land, his gaze too vacant. He clearly still felt bad about the incident.¡°Anything else I missed?¡±

    Rayza bit her lip. How could she get him to forget about it? For just a little moment, at least? Glancing at her daughter, she got an idea. ¡°What you missed?¡± Rayza gave Ciel a cheerful little wink. ¡°Only the most adorable thing I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± He dusted off his hair, snorting as the dirt fell past his nose. ¡°What was it?¡±

    ¡°Hm...should I tell you¡­¡± She said coyly, feigning to think about it. ¡°What do you think?¡± Rayza asked her daughter. No response, just the usual vacant stare. ¡°Say nothing if we shouldn¡¯t tell Papa.¡±

    ¡°Now hold on there-¡±

    Rayza shushed him by placing a finger on his lip. ¡°Please be quiet. I want to hear Ciel¡¯s thoughts on the matter.¡±

    Blank stare.

    ¡°Well, tough luck.¡± Rayza shrugged and waved off Ionyr¡¯s complaints with a cheeky grin. ¡°Looks like she doesn¡¯t want you to know.¡±

    After trying, and failing to find a retort, Ionyr resigned himself to not knowing with a sigh. ¡°Fine. Then at least let me catch another wink or two.¡± He said, lying back against the tree with a satisfied sigh. ¡°Haven¡¯t slept this well in ages.¡± After a brief pause, he opened his mouth, but she shushed him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll wake you if anything happens.¡± Rayza said, knowing full well he wasn¡¯t worried about the forest critters. Luckily, she managed to hide her disappointment from him - unluckily, she hadn¡¯t managed to loosen the nightmare¡¯s grip on his mind. Might as well tackle it head-on. ¡°Say, what did you see? That made you so upset, I mean.¡±

    Ionyr silently stared into space. ¡°What, indeed¡­¡± He muttered. ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything. There was no nightmare. No dream, even. So why¡­?¡±

    ¡°You yelled ¡®Get away from my family!¡¯ when I woke you. Ring any bells?¡±

    ¡°Kind of¡­vaguely.¡± Ionyr trailed off. ¡°I just remember feeling¡­scared. Terrified. Like something horrible was happening to¡­someone important.¡± He glanced at her. ¡°Then I saw the fox near you two and¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± She took his hand and gently stroked it. ¡°You don¡¯t have to talk about it if you don¡¯t want to.¡± Rayza knew that feeling all too well. The feeling of losing something irreplaceable - the powerlessness that came with it. Like running on air.

    ¡°...thanks.¡± He said, falling silent.

    ¡°No problem.¡± Rayza said, absently running her hands along the tree¡¯s bark. It felt soft to the touch - softer than the most comfortable pillow on her father¡¯s big guest seat. Blue tendrils were pulsed inside it like veins, giving off a tiny, mystical glow. Closing her eyes, she wrapped her arms around Ciel. Rayza nuzzled her affectionately.

    ¡°Hey, look.¡± Ionyr tapped her shoulder. When she opened her eyes, she saw him pointing into the woods. Turning her head away from him, she found the fox from earlier cowering behind a tree gazing back at her.

    ¡°Aw¡­.¡± She cooed, before beckoning it over with a soft whistle. ¡°It¡¯s okay. We won¡¯t bite.¡± It didn¡¯t move a single muscle. She furrowed her brow. ¡°Weird, it was so affectionate earlier. You must¡¯ve put the fear of death in it, Ionyr.¡±

    ¡°Shame, really wanted to pet him.¡± Ionyr¡¯s voice was tinged with guilt. He then paused, staring intently at the fox with narrowed eyes. ¡°Actually¡­now that I look a little closer, he ain¡¯t afraid. Little bugger won¡¯t stop glaring at me.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t say.¡± Rayza rolled her eyes. ¡°What makes you think it¡¯s a male?¡±

    ¡°His eyes betray his jealousy.¡± Ionyr said with an overplayed gravitas, causing her to a chortle.

    ¡°Oh really? I can¡¯t tell.¡± She looked back at the fox. Nope, still staring at her.

    ¡°Back off, little man.¡± Ionyr jokingly growled and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. ¡°She¡¯s mine.¡±

    ¡°Relax.¡± Rayza laughed as she pushed him away. ¡°It¡¯s just a fox.¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    ¡°A male fox.¡± Ionyr corrected, crossing his arms and nodding with that same playful attitude. ¡°And as a male myself, I understand him completely.¡±

    ¡°Very well then. As a stupid and unknowing female, please, elucidate what higher understanding you have gathered.¡± Rayza said, turning her body so Ciel could look at her incredibly intelligent and verbose father. ¡°I¡¯m sure your daughter would be thrilled to know as well, o wise Ionyr.¡±

    ¡°It is very simple. Elementary, really.¡± Ionyr said, before leaning close to her and whispering into her ear with a deep, sensual growl. ¡°I¡¯d rather be touched by you too.¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Rayza laughed as she playfully shoved him away again, though she couldn¡¯t deny the goosebumps it gave her. As a blush crept onto her cheeks, she facepalmed to hide her embarrassment. ¡°Idiot. You¡¯ve got the worst timing. I¡¯m holding our baby.¡±

    ¡°Hey, at least I keep the inappropriate stuff in a whisper.¡± Ionyr laughed as he leaned against the tree. ¡°You¡¯ve yelled more curses around her than an actual sailor.¡±

    ¡°As if.¡± She scoffed.

    ¡°Remember Roger swearing at all?¡± Ionyr said with a raised eyebrow, clearly amused.

    She paused briefly, recalling their last conversations with the old pirate. ¡°...fuck. You¡¯re right.¡±

    ¡°Language.¡± He chuckled and lightly slapped the back of her head. ¡°See? That¡¯s what I mean.¡±

    ¡°Swearing isn¡¯t so bad.¡± She grabbed his hand. ¡°Makes conversations spicier. Your dirty-minded comments, on the other hand¡­¡±

    ¡°Add spice to our relationship.¡± Ionyr smugly grinned as he pulled his hand from her grip. ¡°Don¡¯t deny it, I saw you shivering...¡± He leaned in, lowering his voice to a low growl once again. ¡°In antici¡­¡± He paused, simply holding his head close to her ear, leaving her waiting, dangling just long enough for her to hold her breath in suspense. ¡°...pation.¡±

    She exhaled as a shiver ran down her spine. Quickly realising that he¡¯d toyed with her once again, she punched him in the shoulder. ¡°Why did I marry such a dirty-minded idiot¡­¡± Rayza lowered her head, flustered.

    ¡°Come on, you liked it.¡± He said, laughing.

    ¡°Fuck you.¡± She said, though her red face did her no favours.

    ¡°Love you too, babe.¡± He said, leaning back against the tree with a sigh. ¡±I¡¯ll forgive your swearing, just this once. Because by the Four, I haven¡¯t felt this well-rested in years.¡± He looked up to the Spirit Willow¡¯s crown. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s a Spirit¡¯s protection for ya.¡±

    ¡°Seems like it. Wish we could stay here forever.¡± She said, a deep sense of reverence filling her as she gazed upon the Heart of the Forest, its blue hue covering and overpowering the sky¡¯s colour. It calmed her, similar to the Spirit - in fact, she could feel the Spirit¡¯s same awe-inspiring presence emanating from the tree.

    ¡°I could probably build us a house with all these trees here.¡± He scratched his chin. ¡°Can¡¯t be too difficult.¡±

    ¡°Doubt it.¡± Rayza scoffed. ¡°Though I appreciate the offer.¡±

    ¡°Hey, give me a little more credit.¡± Ionyr sat up. ¡°Who¡¯s been fixing up the house all these years?¡±

    ¡°Fine, take your credit - I¡¯ll give it where it¡¯s due.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°I still doubt you could build an entire house with those skills.¡±

    ¡°Wanna bet?¡± Ionyr grinned confidently.

    ¡°As much as I¡¯d love to win that bet, I¡¯ll have to decline. We¡¯ve got responsibilities now.¡± Rayza patted the baby¡¯s sling. ¡°Remember?¡±

    ¡°Ah. Right.¡± Ionyr sounded a little dejected. ¡°Just¡­seems so peaceful here. A decent place to raise a child.¡±

    ¡°But will she learn what it means to be human?¡± She raised an eyebrow. ¡°If it¡¯s just the two of us?¡±

    ¡°Might be difficult, but the Creators said we should do as we please, right? She¡¯s a quick learner, from what I¡¯ve seen.¡± Ionyr hummed, before leaning a little closer and booping his daughter on the nose. ¡°Aren¡¯t you, little Ciel?¡± No reaction from the baby. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes.¡± His lips suddenly curved into a mischievous grin. ¡°Ciel, say nothing if I should build us a house.¡±

    ¡°Ionyr-¡±

    He shushed her. ¡°No, no, Rayza. Quiet now, I want to hear her thoughts on the matter.¡±

    ¡°Idiot¡­¡± Rayza pinched her nose, frustrated. ¡°Listen here-¡±

    ¡°Uh!¡±

    What a cute sound. Rayza looked down, seeing Ciel¡¯s mouth slightly open. Did she make that noise? Was she trying to¡­talk? Already?

    ¡°Was that what I think it was?¡± Rayza stammered, covering her mouth in shock.

    ¡°I¡­I think so, yeah.¡± Ionyr said slowly, leaning closer. ¡°Are you trying to talk, Ciel?¡± No response, only a curious stare.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not rush her.¡± Rayza said, pulling Ciel closer to her chest. This feeling¡­unfamiliar. Like a mother hawk desperately holding on to a hatchling attempting to fly the nest before its feathers sprouted.

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Ionyr sat back, utterly flabbergasted. ¡°A quick learner, through and through.¡±

    ¡°A little too fast, for my liking.¡± Rayza mumbled, softly stroking her daughter¡¯s hair. ¡°I would like to have her like this, just a little longer¡­¡±

    There was a brief silence.

    ¡°Say, Rayza¡­I think this is a good time to bring this up.¡± Ionyr said, uncharacteristically serious. ¡°Ciel is clearly not like other children. She can hear frequencies we can¡¯t, and is trying to talk at one day old. The speed at which she learns is honestly¡­kinda scary.¡±

    ¡°Tell me about it.¡± She sighed. This wasn¡¯t exactly how she envisioned her first time parenting. ¡°So¡­what¡¯s your point?

    ¡°Less of a point, more of a question.¡± Ionyr paused, trying to find the right way to say it. After a few moments, he sighed. ¡°No easy way to phrase this. Should we raise her as our own child¡­or as the Star?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rayza hissed, suddenly feeling tense. Was he implying she wasn¡¯t their child?

    ¡°Ciel¡­well, she is, after all, of the Creator¡¯s make. She has a mission to fulfil.¡± He paused again. ¡°I know how much it means to you to call her our own. But for the sake of that mission, it might help her to know that she is not really human.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± Rayza shot up to her feet, gritting her teeth. ¡°I will raise her as my own. Because she is my daughter.¡±

    ¡°Rayza¡­¡± Ionyr said, standing up, but was silenced immediately.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you ¡®Rayza¡¯ me. Why are you making this complicated in the first place? Why can¡¯t we just raise her as our own, without ever telling her?¡± She hissed, aggressively jutting her finger in his face.

    ¡°Because Ciel is a quick learner.¡± He gently took her hand. ¡°She will find out, one day. Then what?¡± His face hardened. ¡°Should we lie to her? Keep up the facade?¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s it, huh?¡± Rayza cast her gaze downward, tears welling in her eyes. ¡°All just a fucking pipe dream after all.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that!¡± Ionyr interjected, but her glare shut him up real quick.

    ¡°Then what are you saying? Spit it out.¡± She hissed.

    ¡°I¡­I want us to be on the same page. That¡¯s all.¡± He placed his other hand on her shoulder. His eyes softened, that familiar warmth returning to them. ¡°When that day comes - when she asks us that question¡­what is our answer?¡±

    ¡°She is our daughter.¡± No hesitation. Rayza knew her answer from the moment she was born. ¡°No matter what.¡±

    ¡°So we don¡¯t tell her about the Creators? ¡± He asked, and sighed when he saw her shaking her head. ¡°Ever?¡±

    She nodded, then looked into his eyes. ¡°Promise me.¡±

    He seemed a little hesitant. Of course he was. She knew damn well how seriously he took these kinds of promises. It¡¯s why she married him.

    ¡°Rayza, I-¡±

    ¡°Promise.¡± She demanded once again.

    Seeing her insistence, he closed his worried eyes. After thinking briefly, he opened them again to show her kindness once again.

    ¡°I promise.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± She said, sniffing and rubbing her eyes.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get going, then.¡± Ionyr gently tugged on her hand, nodding towards the horses.

    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s.¡±

    As they made their way towards their steeds, Rayza felt a pang of guilt in her chest as the sudden torrent of anger waned. Why had she gotten so mad all of a sudden? All Ionyr wanted was to know about her feelings on his valid concerns. What possessed her to have such a fit? She abused his kindness and love for her to get her own way - knowing full well how seriously he takes such promises.

    Why? Why did she do that?

    ¡°Just a pipe dream after all.¡±

    ¡­was she still in the grip of her father¡¯s mocking words, even now?

    While Ionyr adjusted the saddlebags, she idly caressed her daughter. Her baby. No matter what anyone else said. Ciel would always be hers. That, she was certain of¡­yet she couldn¡¯t deny the Star her destiny either.

    Though, considering this kind of internal struggle, Rayza wondered whether being human was all that it was chalked up to be. Came with the territory, unfortunately.

    ¡°Hey, check this out.¡± Ionyr said suddenly, holding up a piece of paper. ¡°The townspeople left us a note. Can¡¯t read it, though.¡±

    ¡°Let me see.¡± She said, holding out her hand. As he placed the note in it, she lowered her gaze. ¡°By the way.¡± Fidgeting, she averted her eyes, ashamed. ¡°Sorry. For blowing up like that.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± He smiled reassuringly. ¡°I know how much being a mother means to you. That kind of temper comes with the territory. And besides¡­¡± He gave her a quick peck. ¡°...it¡¯s part of your charm.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t deserve him.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± She said, chuckling weakly. Trying to push aside that voice at the back of her head. ¡°You¡¯ve never lost your touch, yourself. Always been a charmer.¡±

    ¡°Was raised well, by a good mother.¡± Ionyr looked down at Ciel. ¡°I¡¯m sure our daughter will grow up to be quite charming, as well.¡±

    ¡°I hope so.¡± Rayza smiled wistfully. ¡°Love is also a part of humanity, after all.¡±

    They stood in silence for a moment. Love¡­so beautiful. So tender. Such a large chance to have your heart break.

    ¡°Any boy that tries to take her will have to get through me first.¡± Ionyr growled.

    ¡°No, no. Relax, dear.¡± Rayza said, her tone overly cheery. ¡°I¡¯ll kill them all before they even get to you.¡±

    ¡°How about this? You take the first one, and I¡¯ll take any others that dare try.¡± Ionyr held out a hand. ¡°Deal?¡±

    ¡°Deal.¡± Rayza shook it. ¡°Now then¡­the note.¡± She quickly scanned it. ¡°No wonder you couldn¡¯t read it. This dialect is ancient. Couple centuries old, at the very least.¡±

    ¡°Interesting.¡± Ionyr said, flipping open the bags of her saddle. ¡°So, what¡¯s it say?¡±

    ¡°One moment.¡± She squinted her eyes. ¡°Whoever wrote this, their calligraphy was dogshit. Let¡¯s see¡­¡±

    ¡°Language! Also, calli-what?¡±

    ¡°Their handwriting was¡­¡± She paused. ¡°Bad.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, dear!¡±

    Rayza rolled her eyes and kept reading. Even taking her time, she was only able to make out fragments. She¡¯d tried wrestling with older tongues before, but never took to it.

    ¡­better ways to phrase that.

    Anyway, it wasn¡¯t like her father possessed many books on the topic, he¡¯d been more focused on flora and fauna, and their evolution throughout history. Just the way the Ashen Order liked it. But through Raev, she acquired a few old tomes here and there. Enough that she could piece together a translation for this shoddy note.

    ¡°Provisions¡­in¡­saddle¡­¡± Rayza¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Oh yeah! The bartender gave me some meat yesterday. Said to roast it long and well over an open fire.¡± She looked up. ¡°Check the other side.¡±

    ¡°Found it!¡± Ionyr held up a familiar satchel.

    ¡°There we go.¡± Rayza said with a satisfied smile. ¡°Thank the Four, I don¡¯t think we would¡¯ve made it home without that.¡±

    ¡°Um, was the meat he gave you grey?¡± Ionyr presented the open bag. Sure enough, that same grey meat she remembered from yesterday was inside. She¡¯d forgotten about that. Too much craziness for her to keep track of everything.

    ¡°Yeah, it was¡­¡± Frowning, she went back to reading the note.

    ¡°Looks rotten.¡± Ionyr said, closing the bag. ¡°Don¡¯t think they¡¯d just give us rotted meat, though.¡±

    ¡°Agreed.¡± Rayza said without looking up. ¡°Bartender told me it¡¯s, and I quote, ¡®The kind of meat that don¡¯t rot.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Hm¡­what kind of meat do you think it is?¡± He wondered aloud.

    ¡°I think¡­that I need to concentrate.¡± She grumbled.

    ¡°Sorry. Just thinking out loud.¡± Ionyr said sheepishly. ¡°What if it¡¯s a specially crafted meat by the Creators, to keep them fed even over eons?¡±

    Rayza hummed and nodded. ¡°That¡¯s a possibility¡­but Roger said the Creator¡¯s designs are perfect. Doesn¡¯t make much sense if their creations could starve.¡± She pursed her lips as she attempted to decipher the illegible runes on the paper. It felt like they were laughing at her efforts to decipher them. ¡°By the way?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Remind me to teach Ciel to read and write once we get home.¡±

    Ionyr chuckled. ¡°Will do.¡±

    ¡°Grey¡­meat¡­¡± Rayza groaned, increasingly frustrated. ¡°Why thanks, o mysterious writer, we already found it. Only new info from here on out, please.¡± She squinted her eyes and read on. ¡°Ra¡­Rav¡­fuck sake, this is hard to read.¡±

    ¡°Language.¡± Ionyr said sternly.

    ¡°Sorry, Dad.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°Rava¡­¡± Wait, was she reading that right? She paused, then read it again, this time aloud. ¡±Ravager.¡±

    There was an audible silence.

    ¡°So this¡­¡± Ionyr held up the satchel and gulped. ¡°This is Ravager meat?¡±

    ¡°Seems like it, yeah.¡± Rayza said slowly, meeting his uneasy gaze.

    ¡°Any chance you misread the note?¡± He asked, clearly hoping for a yes.

    ¡°Proabably.¡± She chuckled nervously. ¡°I mean, what¡¯s more likely? That I misread an ancient dialect written with the calligraphy of a toddler? Or that this is actually Ravager meat?¡±

    Ionyr stared at the grey, stony flesh - as if expecting it to move. ¡°We¡¯ve seen crazier things in the past two days.¡±

    She gulped and nodded. ¡°Yeah¡­we have.¡±

    Ravagers - according to some stories, they were distant relatives of the demons that King Firemane banished from this world, to establish his rule. Beasts of legend that took weeks, if not months to hunt back in the day. Black fur, hellish red eyes and thick, ravenous claws on their arms. They were said to have two lives - upon losing the first, their muscly flesh turned grey, tough and dry.

    Their faces would light up in flames, burning off their skin and revealing the demonic, goat-like skulls beneath. Standing on its hind legs, it would tower over most trees - perhaps even the Heart of the Forest, if the legends are to be believed. Only when their flames died out did these monsters relinquish the grip on their soul and die a true death.

    Apex predators, hunted and thankfully made extinct by humanity. Reports of their last sightings reach back to the period following the Ashen Order¡¯s founding - the Succession War. But that was centuries ago.

    Tribes that predate even King Firemane himself apparently used Ravager flesh in grand feasts to send off their dead. Little is known about these ancient customs, but some records that survived the great wars indicate that the skulls were burned in these rituals.

    No way to ascertain the truth of those sources¡­although there is one characteristic that remains consistent. When heated over a fire, life returns to the meat - and it becomes the most nutritious food in the entire world. One that could fill an empty stomach for days. Feed it to someone on the verge of starvation, and they would make a miraculous recovery within minutes.

    If this truly was that meat¡­this was yet another massive discovery. Proving all those records real. What an incredible final gift to leave behind.

    ¡°By the Four.¡± Rayza muttered, feeling a headache come on. ¡°Between Ciel, the tablet and the Ravager meat - if the Ashen Order ever finds out, we¡¯ll never have a peaceful day in this lifetime.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Ionyr said absent-mindedly, before chuckling nervously. ¡°But hey, if that happens, we can hide here. Then I¡¯ll build that house for you. Both of you.¡± He cheerily booped Ciel¡¯s nose.

    ¡°This is serious.¡± She said sternly. ¡°What do we do with all this? It¡¯s a whole bag¡¯s worth. Though, actually¡­¡±

    Rayza took another look inside the bag. It wasn¡¯t as full as she recalled it being. Some of the meat was missing. It¡¯s almost like¡­of course!

    ¡°Say, do you feel hungry at all?¡± She asked, causing Ionyr to give her an incredulous stare.

    ¡°Seriously? You actually want to try eating Ravager meat? You, Miss Cautious?¡± He grinned. ¡°I thought you¡¯d never ask.¡±

    ¡°Idiot¡­¡± She sighed, though she couldn¡¯t suppress a smile. ¡°You¡¯re not even hungry, are you?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡± No hesitation. ¡°I just wanna try it.¡±

    ¡°Well, don¡¯t worry. From what I saw yesterday, you really liked the taste.¡±

    ¡°Yesterday? What do you mean by that?¡± As Ionyr realised what she was implying, he slapped his head in embarrassment. ¡°Oh¡­I get it.¡±

    ¡°Good, Ionyr. Very good.¡± She ruffled his hair. ¡°You¡¯re such a smart boy.¡±

    ¡°Please shut up.¡± He mumbled.

    ¡°By the Four, Ionyr! Mind your language!¡± Rayza said with a fake gasp, holding Ciel up to his face. ¡°Our baby is right here!¡±

    The baby stared blankly.

    ¡°Just get to the point.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll stop.¡± Rayza laughed, and patted the satchel. ¡°Long story short. Depending on how long yesterday¡¯s stew keeps us sated, we can tell just how filling Ravager meat really is.¡±

    ¡°You mean¡­like a live experiment?¡± He asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°I like it!¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Now, this is just a hypothesis, but if that stew keeps us going for a day or two¡­¡± Rayza closed the satchel. ¡°We¡¯ll make it home without having to resupply once.¡±

    ¡°That¡­is really useful.¡± Ionyr said, gazing at the satchel with renewed awe. ¡°Although we won¡¯t be heading straight home.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Rayza said, confused.

    ¡°There¡¯s a few things that need taking care of.¡° Ionyr said, approaching his steed. ¡°So, first things first.¡± He leaped into the saddle. ¡°We ride for Postitia.¡±

 Chapter 14 - Ominous Warning

    ¡°So, ready to admit that we¡¯re lost?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡± Ionyr said, chipper as ever. ¡°We¡¯re simply exploring.¡±

    ¡°Well then, how about we go explore for the way out?¡±

    ¡°Rayza, Rayza. ¡®Tis the journey that matters, not the destination.¡±

    ¡°You know what, you¡¯re right.¡± Rayza smiled. ¡°I should just enjoy the journey. So many sights to see on the way, after all.¡± She pointed ahead excitedly. ¡°Look, a tree! Haven¡¯t seen one of those yet!¡± She pointed in another direction. ¡°Wow, look! Another tree!¡±

    ¡°Come on. We probably won¡¯t ever return here.¡± Ionyr said, letting his hand drift through some hanging leaves while trotting forward. ¡°Let¡¯s appreciate this calming atmosphere as long as we can.¡±

    ¡°I would appreciate it a lot more if we knew where we were going.¡± Rayza sighed. ¡°Well? Do you?¡±

    Ionyr had no response. The glow of the Heart of the Forest overpowered the lights in the sky, regardless of whether it came from the sun or the moon. Using either of them to navigate was out of the question, and the foliage had gotten so dense that the sky wasn¡¯t visible anymore. Which meant that they couldn¡¯t orient themselves around the large tree, or any other landmarks for that matter.

    Even telling the time was impossible in this place. Speaking of, how long had they been trotting around by now? Hard to tell without the light of day.

    Still, he refused to admit they were lost. If he did, he''d never hear the end of it. And, more importantly, Rayza might let her fear take over, something he''d rather avoid. And he was certain she would, because the forest¡¯s eerie silence was starting to get to him, too.

    The trotting of hooves, hitting grass, dirt and mud with the same steady rhythm. One, two, three. Thump, clack, splash. Thump, clack, splash. Again and again.

    Where were the animals? Why weren¡¯t the birds singing? The insects buzzing? Why did they all leave them trapped in this silence with this maddening rhythm? Thump, clack, splash.

    ¡°Wanna admit we¡¯re lost yet?¡± Rayza said with a noticeable hint of frustration. Couldn¡¯t blame her. He was starting to go mad, too.

    ¡°Nope.¡± Ionyr¡¯s chipper tone was getting increasingly strained.

    ¡°Well, do you know which way we¡¯re going?¡±

    ¡°Of course. We¡¯re following my nose.¡± He tapped it for emphasis.

    ¡°Oh, good. Here I thought we were just following your gut.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°So, where does your nose say we should go?¡±

    ¡°Straight ahead.¡±

    ¡°So¡­the same way we¡¯ve been going all this time?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    She sighed, exasperated. ¡°Well, not like I have any better ideas. Lead the way.¡±

    ¡°Like I¡¯ve been doing all this time, you mean?¡± Ionyr said, his tone snippy.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I know.¡± Rayza¡¯s eyes suddenly went wide, and she pointed ahead excitedly. ¡°Look!¡±

    ¡°What, another tree?¡±

    ¡°No, dumbass.¡± She groaned. ¡°Just look.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Ionyr chuckled dryly and looked. By the Four, there was light. Light at the end of the tunnel. ¡°Well I¡¯ll be¡­¡± He paused and glanced at Ciel.

    ¡°Hm? What? You''ll be what, exactly?¡± Rayza said, a teasing glint in her blue eyes. ¡°Not damned, by any chance?¡±

    Ionyr gave her a stern look. ¡°Okay, first off - language.¡± Then his lips curved up into a smug grin. ¡°Second off¡­first. First is what I¡¯ll be. Hya!¡± He spurred his horse forward. ¡°Last one there¡¯s a rotten egg!¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± He heard Rayza follow suit. ¡°Every time with you!¡±

    But he was too far ahead. He could already see it - the trees were parting. The light came from a large clearing, it seemed. He smiled as he galloped through the opening.

    Huh. Looks like there were others in the forest besides them. There were burn marks from a campfire. Fresh, not even a day old. Above it hung a pot, with bits of stew stuck on the inside. Oddly familiar looking. Wow, there was even another giant tree in this clearing. Looked exactly like the Heart of the Forest, too.

    ¡°Drat.¡± Ionyr murmured, sighing. ¡°Fine, you win. I admit it. We¡¯re lost.¡±

    Silence.

    ¡°Rayza?¡± Ionyr turned around in his saddle. She was nowhere to be seen or heard. Even the horse¡¯s trots had fallen silent. ¡°Not funny, Rayza. Come out!¡±

    He desperately looked around the clearing, stopping when he saw a familiar auburn furball. A cold sweat gathered on Ionyr¡¯s brow. The fox stared at him, his blue eyes filled with barely restrained malice.

    ¡°H-hey there, pal.¡± He said, his voice shaking. ¡°Have you seen Rayza anywhere?¡±

    The fox didn¡¯t respond, sitting still and glaring at him from the shadows. Something was off about it. Wait¡­was the fox a Spirit, too? Couldn¡¯t be. Looked way too ordinary compared to the stag. But the coldness in those eyes...it was unnatural. And increasingly unnerving.

    ¡°Brother¡­¡±

    Ionyr snapped his head toward the voice. It couldn¡¯t be - but it was.

    A little more grown up than Ionyr remembered, sure, but unmistakably Ielus. But his entire body was battered, so much so that he was crawling on the ground in a pool of blood. His whole face was bruised. Besides a black eye, a bloody nose and lips he was also missing a few teeth. His legs looked broken and twisted beyond any kind of use.

    Why was his brother here? How did this happen? What kind of monster would do this to him?

    ¡°It hurts¡­¡± Ielus groaned, looking up at him pleadingly.

    ¡°Hold on, I¡¯m coming!¡± Ionyr said, shaken from his stupor. As he hopped off his horse and turned around, he found¡­nothing.

    Ielus had disappeared. Leaving not even a trace.

    ¡°A hallucination¡­?¡± Ionyr surveyed the area. Even the fox was gone. Leaving him alone in this eerie silence. He reached to his horse for comfort.

    His hand touched empty space. Spinning around, he found it gone, too.

    ¡°You¡¯re joking.¡± He said, his heart beating louder. What¡¯s going on here? ¡°Have I gone crazy?¡±

    ¡°Ionyr!¡± That was Rayza¡¯s voice! He found her peeking out from behind the Heart of the Forest, beckoning him over. Relieved, he let out a sigh. ¡°Come on, the fox is taking us to the exit! Last one there¡¯s a rotten egg!¡± She teased, disappearing behind the tree.

    ¡°Wait up!¡± Ionyr yelled back, heading to where she was with large skips. ¡°And you were mad at me for running off, you hypocrite!¡± He teased, and as he rounded the tree¡­she was gone. Again with this. ¡°Where¡­¡±

    ¡°Over here!¡± Her voice came from the forest.

    ¡°Coming!¡± He broke into a dash.

    ¡°Hurry up, or you¡¯ll fall behind!¡± Something was off.

    ¡°Rayza! Wait up!¡± Desperation leaked into his voice. He ran straight through a low-hanging branch, smashing it to splinters that dug into his forearm.

    ¡°This race is mine¡­!¡± Something was off.

    ¡°Please¡­wait¡­!¡± No matter how fast he ran, her voice only became more distant. He could barely hear it over his thumping heart and heavy breathing.

    ¡°AHHH!¡±

    A horrible scream. Anguish. Pain. Fear.

    It was so close, and so sudden that Ionyr¡¯s ears rang. Without a word, he ran towards the sound, breaking through an entire forest¡¯s worth of underbrush, emerging in a small gap between the trees. There was a lump in his throat.

    There was a lush patch of grass there, and on it, in a pool of blood, lay Rayza. Her empty, soulless eyes were fixed on him, a dead smile on her lips.

    ¡°No¡­¡± Ionyr immediately knelt down beside her and took her hand. No pulse. ¡°No, no, no¡­¡± He listened for a breath. ¡°Please, no¡­fuck!¡± He put his hands on her chest and began pumping.

    Blood spurted through his fingers. Lifting his hands off her, he felt bile rising in his throat, pushing against the knot there. Her body was riddled with holes. As though a giant monster had sunk its fangs into her.

    Funny. The culprit was staring him in the face, just across from him. With cold, blue eyes.

    ¡°It was you, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Ionyr said to the fox sitting just across Rayza''s body. The animal glared at him as though this were his fault. Underlining his ice cold stare by baring his fangs, the fox sniffled before letting out a venomous snarl. ¡°How could you?¡± Tears pooled in Ionyr''s eyes, blurring his vision.

    ¡°This is your fault.¡± Said the fox.

    ¡°My fault¡­? My fault?!¡± Ionyr hissed, his fingers curling into a fist. ¡°You killed her!¡± He paused as he had a sudden realisation. ¡°You¡­you did that to Ielus, too. Didn¡¯t you?¡±

    The fox glared at him silently.

    ¡°Answer me!"  Ionyr roared, rearing back his fist."You did it! Didn¡¯t you?! ¡± He struck the fox, making it fly through the air, keeping his hate-filled gaze on Ionyr fixed all the way. As he hit a tree, the fox burst, leaving only a shroud of black dust. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    Panting, Ionyr stared into space, his vision blurry and unsteady. Relax, he told himself to no avail. Empty. That¡¯s the best way to describe how he felt. Terribly empty. He looked back down at Rayza. Black crust was forming on her left side.

    It was like he was paralysed, unable to move. All he could do was watch her wither away.

    Out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement. His head snapped that way, and he just barely caught a glance of a young girl staring at him.

    ¡°A warning.¡± Her lips didn¡¯t move. Whoever spoke, it wasn¡¯t her.

    Suddenly, he felt a cold sensation in his heart, followed by an intense heat. Before he could react, flames burst from his chest, consuming him and the entire forest around him. The last thing he saw was the girl¡¯s black hair swaying in the flames, and her eyes, as empty as he felt.

    Two small teardrops were running down her cheeks.

    <hr>

    ¡°Ionyr! Wake up!¡±

    Startled, he blinked to regain his bearings.

    The clearing was gone. He was out in a small cave, illuminated by the faint embers of a campfire. His fist was embedded in the rocky wall. The knuckles on the other hand were bleeding. Rayza was desperately pressing her lips to his.

    Rayza was alive. Thank the Four, it was just a nightmare. He immediately relaxed and hugged her tightly, his arms quivering. She pulled away her lips and returned the embrace.

    ¡°You''re alright.¡± Ionyr¡¯s voice was anything but steady. A voice crack made his statement sound like a question. Maybe it was.

    ¡°I should be asking that, idiot.¡± She replied softly, caressing the back of his head. ¡°You gave us a real scare this time.¡±

    ¡°I thought I lost you.¡± He croaked. ¡°Both of you.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re here. Both of us.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± He said, pulling away. ¡°But in my dream¡­¡± He paused, then pulled away and met her worried gaze. ¡°I saw you dead¡­and Ielus too.¡±

    ¡°I see." She paused briefly. "So you remember it this time?¡±

    ¡°Vividly.¡± Ionyr raised his palms, staring intensely at them. ¡°I still remember the blood on my hands¡­from your wounds¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Rayza closed his palms and gently clasped her hands around them. ¡°It was just a nightmare, nothing more.¡±

    ¡°A warning.¡±

    The echo of those ominous words still reverberated within, deeply impregnated into his mind. But perhaps for his own sanity¡¯s sake, he tried pushing them aside in favour of Rayza¡¯s soothing words.

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Simply seeing her alive and well eased his fears somewhat. ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°Worried about Ielus?¡± She asked, stepping away and throwing on her cloak.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Read him like a book.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s make haste. Postitia is still a month¡¯s ride away.¡± Rayza bent over to pack their things. He couldn¡¯t help but stare.

    By the Four, he loved that woman. It felt like forever ago that they were trying for a child. Now that they had one¡­he kind of missed their passionate nights. And seeing her stretch out her rear like that was like throwing meat before a hungry wolf.

    ¡°You gonna help or what? Camp won¡¯t pack itself.¡±

    ¡°Right, yeah.¡± Not the right time, Ionyr. He slapped himself mentally. But he couldn''t get the image of her broken body out of his mind. All of a sudden, he was keenly aware of how fragile she was. He walked up beside her and kneeled down. While cramming his blanket into his satchel, he glanced at her face.

    By the Four, he loved those blue eyes. Those tender lips. He wanted to ravage them.

    Not the right time.

    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± She asked with a raised eyebrow.

    Well, when is the right time, when she''s dead?

    ¡°The love of my life.¡± He said with a smile.

    ¡°Such a charmer.¡± Rolling her eyes, she went back to packing. Her red cheeks betrayed her excitement, however.

    Screw it. You only live once.

    ¡°Say, Rayza.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    He slapped her butt, causing her to yelp. ¡°Let¡¯s give Ciel a sibling.¡±

    She winced and pushed his hand away. ¡°I thought you were worried about Ielus. Where¡¯s this coming from?¡±

    ¡°I think growing up with a sibling would help her with¡­you know.¡±

    A lame excuse. But hey, they''d used worse excuses before. Like their hundred-attempt anniversary...of failing to get her pregnant. Particularly fun, that night.

    Rayza sighed. ¡°Sorry, but no.¡±

    Wait. What did she say?

    ¡°No?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d love to, don¡¯t get me wrong, but¡­¡± She nodded toward their daughter, staring at them from her spot on the ground. ¡°Not in front of Ciel.¡±

    But the two of you are basically glued together.

    ¡°So¡­never, then?¡± Ionyr asked tentatively.

    During Ciel''s naps, perhaps? Plenty of time.

    ¡°When we get home, maybe earlier when we get the chance.¡± Rayza said, throwing her satchel over her shoulder.

    Maybe? Maybe?

    What happened? It didn¡¯t feel that long ago that she would¡¯ve jumped at the opportunity. And all this time, he¡¯d taken those nights for granted. How often had they made sweet love during their travels? Every sketchy inn, every damp cave was another chance to consummate their marriage anew, and many times, the stars had been the witness to their escapades. And now, the Creator¡¯s Star was denying him that pleasure?

    Ciel bore no blame for this, she was just a child, not even past the newborn stage. Yet Ionyr couldn¡¯t help but feel a tinge of resentment towards her.

    What an awful father you are, he thought to himself.

    ¡°Can you hold her for a moment?¡± Rayza lifted up their daughter¡¯s sling and went to tie her around his shoulder.

    How ironic. The Four must really want to twist that knife, huh?

    ¡°Sure, no problem.¡± He mumbled as she tied the knot around his neck. Ciel was staring at him curiously. As usual. Though she seemed a little bigger than he remembered her being during yesterday¡¯s ride out the forest.

    Rayza went back to packing up, leaving him alone with the Star.

    ¡°Good morning.¡± He faked a smile and stroked Ciel¡¯s hair. ¡°How¡¯re you doing?¡± No response. ¡°Dunno what I was expecting.¡±

    Ionyr sighed and grabbed his satchel on his way out the cave. His horse snorted upon seeing him.

    ¡°Hey pal. Sorry for scaring ya.¡± He pat the steed¡¯s nose and attached his satchel to the saddle.

    ¡°You ready?¡± Rayza asked, exiting the cave with their full bags on her shoulders.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± He untied his steed from the tree and hopped on.

    ¡°Then to Postitia we ride.¡± After fastening the bags to the saddle, she did the same and spurred her horse forward.

    ¡°Off we go.¡± He mumbled, looking back one last time.

    The forest sprawled out before him. In the distance, far above the myriad of lesser trees, its Heart pulsed with a steady blue glow, blending against the gold of the rising sun. Seems like it would be a nice day today, at least. As he turned around to follow Rayza, he caught a glimpse of orange fur in his peripheral vision. He snapped his head to look again, but there was nothing, and no one, to be seen.

    ¡°A warning.¡± Ionyr shook his head, as though that would banish the memory. After turning around, he did the best to put it out of his mind for now and made his horse trot after Rayza.

    ¡°You know¡­¡± He said after catching up. ¡°I think Ciel¡¯s gotten a little heavier since yesterday.¡±

    Rayza rolled her eyes, sarcasm practically oozing from them. ¡°What, is Papa too weak to hold his darling daughter? Need me to take over?¡±

    ¡°Oi.¡± He said in a most deadpan tone. ¡°I might be a humble guy, but I do think strength is one of my strong points. And I take great pride in that fact, I''ll have you know.¡±

    ¡°I vaguely recall that time I had to catch you from falling off a cliff. I know two days is a long time, but I¡¯m certain you still remember that impressive feat of strength.¡±

    ¡°Come on, that was different, and you know it.¡± He scoffed. ¡°As long as I can move, I can muster up the strength to move mountains.¡±

    ¡°Oh really?¡± Rayza raised an eyebrow, clearly doubtful.

    ¡°Of course.¡± He gave her a wink. ¡°For my darling only.¡±

    ¡°Ah, of course.¡± She chuckled. ¡°Then you can hold her for a while.¡±

    Not what I meant. Ionyr let out a sigh and absent-mindedly patted Ciel¡¯s head through the cloth sling. He felt her staring at him, so he looked down and gave her a smile.

    ¡°How¡¯re you holding up, Ciel?¡±

    She stared at him, then looked at her mother. He felt her arm moving beneath the cloth, then a small finger poked out under her chin, pointing at Rayza.

    ¡°Pa¡­pa?¡±

    By the Four, what an adorable voice. He could listen to that voice for hours.

    ¡­wait.

    ¡°Did she just¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. She did.¡± Rayza said, her mouth open. She then proceeded to pout and shoot him a glare. ¡°I can¡¯t believe her first word was ¡®Papa¡¯ though.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but burst out laughing. ¡°It¡¯s not funny! I spent two days carrying her, and she calls for you the very first time you hold her!¡±

    ¡°Hey now, that''s not my fault.¡± He said, wiping a tear from his eye. ¡°I think she meant you, though. She''s pointing at you.¡±

    ¡°Agreed.¡± She was still clearly miffed, but put on a smile and pointed at herself. ¡°Ciel, say Mama. Ma-ma.¡±

    ¡°Ma¡­ma?¡± Ciel said with a confused blink.

    ¡°Yes! Mama!¡± Rayza said, squealing ecstatically. ¡°You¡¯re such a quick learner!¡±

    Perhaps too quick, Ionyr thought.

    ¡°Ma¡­ma. Also¡­move¡­mountain?¡±

    Seriously. Way too quick. While she was struggling to form the sentences, her pronunciation and articulation were scarily accurate.

    ¡°No, no.¡± He said with an uneasy chuckle. ¡°That¡¯s just me.¡± He pointed at himself. ¡°Papa.¡±

    ¡°True.¡± Rayza said with an annoyed sigh. ¡°Papa¡¯s head is thicker than most mountains, so they just get out of his way.¡±

    ¡°What¡­Mama¡­do?¡± Ciel asked, tilting her head.

    ¡°Mama makes sure Papa doesn¡¯t challenge every mountain we come across.¡± Ionyr said, giving Rayza a wink.

    ¡°Mama¡­smart.¡±

    ¡°Oh great.¡± Ionyr groaned and facepalmed. ¡°Now there are two of them.¡±

    ¡°Two smart, thoughtful women to keep you in line. You should be grateful, darling.¡± She teased with a chipper smile.

    ¡°Sure, why not.¡± He sighed. ¡°You¡¯re real talkative all of a sudden, though.¡± Ciel stared in silence, confused. ¡°Kind of weird for a newborn.¡±

    ¡°Weird...?¡±

    Oops. He let that one slip. Rayza was already glaring at him. Quick, damage control!

    ¡°Uh¡­no, not weird at all!¡± Ionyr laughed nervously. ¡°You¡¯re just a fast learner is all.¡±

    Too fast.

    ¡°Fast¡­learner.¡±

    Despite the deadpan tone, Ionyr had a gut feeling that she wasn¡¯t convinced. Rayza quickly jumped in to help.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Ciel. It¡¯s just who you are.¡± She smiled. ¡°After all, you¡¯re our daughter.¡± As Ciel looked to him for confirmation, Ionyr laughed nervously.

    ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re our daughter.¡± He said, a tremble to his voice. Too many mixed feelings to hide, but thankfully Ciel didn¡¯t seem very adept at reading emotional cues. Not yet, anyway. ¡°Nothing weird about our daughter being a smart cookie. It would probably be weirder if you weren¡¯t.¡± He laughed awkwardly.

    ¡°Exactly.¡± Rayza laughed along. ¡°Would also be weird if you didn¡¯t grow up to be a strong cookie, too.¡±

    Oh? He liked this game. Sure, let''s play. She already knew what he was betting.

    ¡°Or a beautiful cookie.¡±

    ¡°A charming cookie.¡±

    Good one. But he wasn''t losing this one.

    ¡°With excellent handwriting.¡±

    ¡°And, uh¡­¡±

    Ha. Victory.

    ¡°A sharp tongue.¡± Ionyr said with a cheeky grin.

    Rayza rolled her eyes. ¡°Fine, you win.¡±

    He laughed, rejoicing in his sweet, sweet victory. Now, this was most certainly a good day. Well, when night came, anyway.

    Ciel glanced between the two of them, confused. ¡°What¡­did Papa¡­win?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll know when you get older.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll know when you get older.¡±

    They said in unison. Looking at each other, he and Rayza shared another laugh as the sun rose over the horizon, coating the valley in their golden glow.

    You know what, Ionyr thought, maybe this isn¡¯t so bad.

 Merry Christmas!

    Hey there.

    This isn''t an actual update. I just wanted to wish you all a merry Christmas, and take a moment to express my sincere gratitude to you.

    When I released this story, I never thought it would''ve grown this big so quickly. Sure, it''s still a small community, but I love it regardless. If you''ve made it this far, that''s just proof to me that continuing to write Project Soul is really worth it. And for that, I am eternally grateful.

    So much has happened in such a short time. It''s baffling to me, really. Hard to believe we''re on Chapter 15 soon - and we started this adventure in August. Not even five months ago.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    Damn.

    I''d also like to make some of my plans known here.

    In the new year, at some point, I will begin posting excerpts of upcoming chapters, as well as other writing-related content on social media. So if you want to catch a glimpse of chapters before release or want to learn how I structure my stories and arcs, here''s my Instagram: @project.soul_story

    While yes, this will serve to build up some momentum here, I intend to go further - I will add new chapters and update existing ones to flesh out the arcs and world some more. And following that, I will release it as a full-blown novel.

    So yeah. Stay tuned for that, and, well...

    Merry Christmas, you beautiful, beautiful bastards. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for sticking around. You have no idea how much it means to me. You gave me purpose in this life.

    To a glorious 2025.

    (There''ll still be a proper chapter on Saturday, don''t worry ;) )

 Chapter 15 - A mans duty

    ¡°This day couldn¡¯t possibly get any worse.¡±

    ¡°Stop being so dramatic.¡±

    ¡°But Rayza.¡± Ionyr whined, pointing at the beautifully overgrown cave. ¡°There¡¯s a perfectly good cave right there! Just look at it! It¡¯s practically begging to be explored!¡±

    Rayza sighed, clearly frustrated. ¡°There¡¯s probably just dirt and roots in there. Like every other cave we¡¯ve tried so far.¡±

    ¡°But what if there isn¡¯t?¡± Ionyr said, though he knew it was a weak rebuttal at best.

    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s say there¡¯s some grand adventure to be had in that cave. What, pray tell, will we do with Ciel?¡± Rayza pat her head for emphasis. ¡°She can¡¯t come with us. It¡¯d be too dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Oh, come on, she¡¯s big enough.¡±

    ¡°No she¡¯s not, and you know it.¡± Rayza narrowed her eyes.

    Yeah, he was stretching it, just a bit. Ciel had grown a lot since they left the forest, to the size of a four, maybe five year old. And to think it¡¯s only been a few weeks.

    ¡°Besides, why are you so intent on checking out every vaguely interesting landmark we come across?¡± Rayza turned away and spurred her horse forward.

    Why, indeed? Ionyr had been asking himself the same thing. On their journey home, they passed by many caves, glades and ruins. Admittedly, none of them had really piqued his interest. He didn¡¯t even understand why he was so invested in these tiny detours. Having found the Creators, his appetite for adventure should have been sated. They couldn¡¯t afford taking unnecessary risks anymore, Rayza was right about that.

    So why did he still feel that hunger? Why did that desire not go away?

    ¡°Papa¡­coming?¡± Ciel asked, peeking around her mother.

    ¡°Come on, stop sulking.¡± Rayza said, looking back at him. ¡°Postitia is just over the hill.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. I know.¡± Sighing, Ionyr spurred his horse into a medium pace. He quickly caught up to the two, noticing that Ciel was still staring at him. Still as blank as ever, that expression.

    Because of her incredible growth spurt, she didn¡¯t fit into her sling anymore. So now she sat in front of Rayza in the saddle. Luckily, they came across some travelling merchants, and Ionyr had bought her a child-sized blue dress, along with a worn hooded cloak. Rayza had kept her hidden then - because of her hair. Now just under shoulder length and as pure white as could be, Ciel¡¯s hair stood out like a sore thumb. White hair wasn¡¯t exactly common in these parts - or any parts of the world, for that matter.

    If someone saw that unnatural hair colour, rumours would spread. Ionyr shuddered to think of what might happen. He didn¡¯t know what was worse. Bandits kidnapping her to sell her off at the black market, the Ashen Order labelling her a demon and killing her.

    I mean hey, then Rayza might try for another child.

    Did he really just think that? By the Four, what an awful father he was.

    ¡°Papa?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s up Ciel?¡± He forced a smile.

    She put a hand on her chest, looked down at it for a short moment, then turned up her head again to meet his gaze. After a short pause, she tilted her head.

    ¡°Everything okay?¡± Ionyr asked, though still, no response.

    Eventually, she nodded, but continued staring at him with curiosity in her eyes, as well as something approaching¡­uncertainty?

    What was that about?

    ¡°Look, Ciel.¡± Rayza tapped her shoulder to get her attention, then pointed ahead. ¡°You can almost see it from here.¡±

    Trotting over the crest of the hill, the city of Postitia finally came into view. It was blinding at first, the sunlight reflecting off of the magnificent towers¡¯ silver-coated roofs, each of them a nest for Firemane¡¯s Manticore. Also of silver make, the statues kept the great city under their vigil with a stern, yet kind expression.

    Few houses besides the Ashen Order¡¯s cathedral in the center reached over Postitia¡¯s great stone wall.

    The only other rival to its splendour was a wide wooden structure towering into the sky, just short of the cathedral. There were big, round holes all over it, slightly filled with straw. Even from this far away, one could see small shadows zipping in and out of them. The structure sat atop an even wider hall made of the same materials, wooden walls and a roof of straw.

    Ionyr always felt the urge to visit Raev when they came here. Architecture from the Isles felt exotic like nothing he¡¯d ever seen in Idyllis. Imagine, if this is how the Merchant Federation built their hub in another country, just how did they do it on their own soil? Then again, not like travelling was an option. Not any time soon.

    He glanced at Ciel. Her eyes were blank, yet¡­for the first time, they were fixated on something other than him or Rayza. She was staring at the Postage Pen, almost like she was watching those small shadows.

    ¡°...birds.¡± Ciel said slowly, tilting her head. ¡°And...dragon¡­flies?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Rayza clapped her hands excitedly. ¡°You got it!¡±

    ¡°You can see ¡®em from here¡­?¡± Ionyr scratched his chin. ¡°Colour me impressed.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the Postage Pen, where all letters that travel Idyllis eventually pass through.¡± Rayza ignored his comment and leaned down, pointing at the big wooden tower. ¡°Those birds and dragonflies are the mailmen. Look closely. They¡¯re bigger than normal, right?¡±

    Ciel looked without even squinting her eyes. After a short pause, she nodded.

    ¡°That¡¯s because the merchants managed to breed a race of birds and dragonflies that are perfect for delivering our letters, even overseas.¡± He¡¯d rarely seen his wife get this passionate about explaining stuff to him.

    ¡­was he seriously getting jealous of his own kid? Grow up.

    ¡°Breed?¡± Ciel asked.

    Rayza froze. Ionyr couldn¡¯t hold back a chuckle. This sounded like the perfect job for a dirty-minded idiot. She glanced at him, begging for help. Honestly, he had half a mind to let her struggle for a bit.

    ¡°Papa? What is¡­¡®breed¡¯?¡± Ciel followed her mother¡¯s gaze and turned to him.

    Drat. Well, what goes around comes around.

    ¡°Yeah, Papa.¡± Rayza grinned. ¡°What¡¯s ¡®breed¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you so excitedly explaining this a moment ago, Miss Know-it-all?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± She shrugged. ¡°The definition of that word slipped my mind, though. Can¡¯t know everything.¡±

    Ionyr sighed, and scratched his head, thinking of a child-friendly way to phrase it. ¡°Breed¡­breed¡­how do I¡­?¡± He grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s like¡­they were born for this job. Simplest way to explain it.¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡± Rayza seemed impressed. Her eyes said: ¡°Good save.¡±

    Ciel closed her eyes and put her hand on her chin. Heh, looked like him for a split second. After a moment, she opened her eyes.

    ¡°Was Papa¡­born for¡­adventure?¡± She pointed at the Pen. ¡°Like birds¡­and dragonflies¡­for job?¡±

    He opened his mouth to respond, then closed it again. Born¡­for adventure? Was that it? Was that the reason why everything seemed to stir his insatiable lust to explore? Maybe. Would explain why finally finding proof of the Creators¡¯ existence didn¡¯t abate his hunger one bit. If anything, he was now in want of an even higher hurdle to overcome.

    What did a mad dog like him do when there was no mountain to climb? Search for another. Without dangers to brave and conquer, what did he have left?

    His marriage? Or rather, the scraps left of it after a ravenous little Star ate it all up?

    Damn it. He did it again.

    Gritting his teeth, Ionyr pressed out an answer to Ciel¡¯s question. ¡°Maybe.¡± Shit. That was harsher than he intended. ¡°Quite a deep question. Don¡¯t know the answer to that, myself.¡± He quickly tried laughing it off, but Rayza¡¯s shocked expression destroyed any notions he had of sweeping it under the rug.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    He let it slip. Now Rayza knew just how unhappy he was. And how awful a father that made him.

    Did that make him a bad husband, too? Maybe.

    Ashamed, Ionyr refused to meet her gaze, averting his eyes. He saw her shooting him a look every now and then, but she didn¡¯t attempt to break the silence. Ciel glanced between them, but remained quiet herself. Maybe she was better at reading cues than he gave her credit for.

    After descending the hill, they reached the paved road leading into the city. The stones forming it were dirty and worn. No wonder, with how many merchant caravans passed through on the daily. There were dark red stains on them, alongside the remains of what was likely a barrel. Telltale signs of a bandit raid.

    Passing the broken barrel, the smell of day-old wine wafted in Ionyr¡¯s nose. No surprise there, wine was a commonly traded good in Idyllis, especially in this region. And expensive wine takes care of a bandit''s two most important needs - booze and money.

    Then again, this wine didn¡¯t smell particularly good, so it probably wasn¡¯t all that expensive. Too strong of an iron-like sting in it. Or maybe that was just the blood of the merchants mixed in.

    They rode to the gates in silence. Honestly, Ionyr was surprised by the lack of caravans they came across. Sure, bandits were out and about, but that¡¯s nothing new. There were still usually long queues stretching out from the gates. But the closer they got to the city border, the more he realised that there were no merchants out here - neither entering nor leaving the city.

    Nothing else seemed unusual. The stables in front of the gate appeared to be doing business as usual, though the young stablehand seemed a little antsy. When he saw them, he immediately darted indoors. Odd. Ionyr glanced at Ciel, and sure enough, her hood was up. So the boy was scared of something else.

    Why, he wondered, is it so quiet out here?

    They rode up to the wooden gate. Three emblems were arranged in a triangle pattern. On the left, emblazoned on a bronze background, sat the Dragon of the Spring, one of the Four Eternals. On the right, the white serpent with black eyes, Idyllis¡¯ mark of shame, wrapped around a broken sceptre, on a golden background.

    ¡°Halt.¡± A man in chainmail stepped before them, bearing the insignia of the Ashen Order on his chest. The winged golden lion with the fiery red mane, on a silver background. Same as the third and last symbol on the door, sitting above the other two. ¡°Identify yourselves.¡±

    The man¡¯s hand was on his sword. Ionyr could see another man watching them warily from the guardhouse beside the gate. Yeah, something was up. Security wasn¡¯t this tight.

    ¡°We¡¯re travellers.¡± Rayza said. ¡°Here to post some letters.¡± He could see her shoot him a glance in his peripheral vision. Still unable to make eye contact, he cast his gaze down.

    ¡°To whom?¡± The man from the Order narrowed his eyes, gripping his sword tightly.

    ¡°Why is that important?¡± She asked, but the soldier drew his blade.

    ¡°I¡¯m asking the questions here.¡± He hissed. ¡°To whom are you sending these letters?¡±

    Rayza¡¯s eye twitched. She was already on-edge as is, but with the soldier pressing the issue¡­oh no.

    ¡°Now listen here¡­!¡±

    Ionyr quickly interrupted her, attempting to de-escalate the situation. ¡°It¡¯s to my brother. And a good friend.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± The soldier said sharply.

    ¡°Want my daughter to finally meet her uncle.¡± He pointed at Ciel, who was curiously watching it all unfold.

    Immediately, the soldier¡¯s face softened, and he let go of his sword. ¡°My apologies. I didn¡¯t see her there.¡± He smiled at Ciel. ¡°Didn¡¯t mean to scare you.¡±

    ¡°Scared? What¡¯s that?¡± She responded in her usual blank tone

    ¡°Brave one, ain¡¯t you?¡± The soldier laughed. ¡°You know, I got a daughter at home. Think she¡¯s just about your age.¡±

    ¡°Nope, definitely not.¡± Ionyr thought, watching the situation carefully. If that man got a little too close and saw her hair¡­

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you take that hood off? It¡¯s a shame, hiding your pretty face like that.¡± The soldier came closer.

    Rayza quickly pushed the hood down.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± The man asked, and all he got in response was an indignant glare.

    ¡°Sorry, she, uh¡­got a sunburn.¡± Ionyr chimed in, trying to smooth things over.

    ¡°A sunburn?¡± He wasn¡¯t buying it.

    ¡°...yes.¡±

    ¡°In spring?¡±

    ¡°...yes?¡± Admittedly, not his best lie. Even Rayza looked offended by how terrible a lie it was.

    ¡°Come on, stop messing with me.¡± The soldier laughed. ¡°What¡¯s the real reason? Afraid she¡¯ll steal my heart?¡± He waved it off like a bad joke. ¡°Relax. I¡¯m in the Order, sure, but I¡¯m not despicable. I¡¯m a guardsman after all.¡±

    ¡°You cheat at cards though. Every time.¡± The other, older soldier walked out and pulled him away. ¡°Now get back to your post.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± His rebuttal was cut off by a simple glare from the other soldier. ¡°Fine¡­¡± He sulkily trudged back into the guardhouse.

    ¡°Sorry about him.¡± The grizzled man turned to them. ¡°He¡¯s a good lad at heart.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I could tell.¡± Ionyr said, shooting Rayza a glance. She refused to make eye contact with the soldier. ¡°What did he do to end up in the Ashen Order?¡±

    ¡°Pickpocketing. And attempted robbery of an officer¡¯s wallet.¡± He patted the pouch on his belt. ¡°This one, to be exact.¡±

    ¡°I see. How many years?¡±

    ¡°I let him off easy. One year on patrol, two in the guard.¡±

    Ionyr raised an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s unusual. Wouldn¡¯t it be double that?¡±

    The officer scratched his chin in thought. ¡°Maybe. I¡¯ve gotten soft over the years.¡± He had a small smile on his lips. ¡°Did it for his daughter. Can¡¯t fault him for that.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough. Take it you didn¡¯t send him on his pilgrimage, either?¡±

    ¡°Ha!¡± The officer snorted. ¡°Haven¡¯t sent anyone on those in years. Serves no purpose beyond robbing the city of good men - and those are in short supply as is. Good fathers doubly so.¡±

    Ouch. That one hurt. He could see Rayza looking at him - which hurt twice as much, because she was right.

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Ionyr mumbled. Time to change the subject. ¡°Anyway, what¡¯s going on here?¡± He gestured around. ¡°Where are all the merchants?¡±

    ¡°Inside.¡± The guard jutted his thumb at the gate. ¡°No one dares to venture beyond the gates anymore.¡±

    ¡°Bandits?¡±

    ¡°Bandits.¡± The officer nodded grimly.

    ¡°That¡¯s nothing new, though.¡±

    ¡°These ones are.¡± He crossed his arms. ¡°Organized, precise and viciously violent. Haven¡¯t seen anything like it before.¡± The officer pointed down the road. ¡°Everytime a caravan leaves these gates, those bastards are already lying in wait.¡±

    ¡°How would they know when the caravan is leaving?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve got someone on the inside.¡± Rayza interjected, nodding at the gate. Her attitude toward the officer had softened somewhat. ¡°Right?¡±

    ¡°Smart wife you got there.¡± The officer chuckled.

    ¡°That I do.¡± Ionyr mumbled, not meeting her repeated attempt to make eye contact.

    ¡°Indeed, we caught one of them red-handed. Was using the Postage Pen to deliver the information to his buddies.¡± The officer narrowed his eyes. ¡°Hence why we¡¯re suspicious of any new arrivals intending to send letters.¡±

    ¡°I see. So that¡¯s why.¡± Ionyr nodded solemnly.

    ¡°I suggest you finish your business quickly and get on your way. The less you stay here, the better.¡± The officer turned and whistled. ¡°They¡¯re good to go! Open the gate!¡±

    The sound of a thick bar being pushed aside was followed by one of the doors slowly opening, scraping against the stone road. Sounds of a bustling city reached Ionyr¡¯s ears, as well as the infinitely melding smells of the many, many taverns.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to be so¡­lively.¡± Rayza said, pleasantly surprised.

    ¡°Oh, we have no food shortage. A lot of it comes in - it just never leaves.¡± The officer chuckled. ¡°Never liked those merchants, always keeping the good wine for the rich folk in the North. Now the good people of Postitia get to enjoy those spoils.¡±

    ¡°The wine¡¯s Artivian, right?¡± Ionyr grinned.

    ¡°Yep.¡± He licked his lips.

    ¡°Good stuff, huh?¡±

    ¡°The best. I take it you¡¯ve had Artivian wine before?¡±.

    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s my hometown.¡± Ionyr responded proudly.

    ¡°So, you got a house next to the best wine orchard in all of Idyllis and a pretty wife to boot.¡± The officer laughed. ¡°Lucky bastard.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t feel particularly lucky.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, enough is enough. You two be on your way, now.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Rayza said, spurring her horse forward. She was still holding Ciel¡¯s hood tightly over her head, in case the trotting made it fall. However, she kept it just high enough that her daughter could peek out and see the wonders of human civilization with her own eyes. Before Ionyr could follow, the officer turned to him.

    ¡°One last thing - from one man to another..¡± He said grimly. ¡°In all my years, I¡¯ve learned that bandits have three important needs. Money, booze and¡­¡± He subtly gestured toward Rayza and Ciel. ¡°Protect those two. With your life, if you must.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± The man was right. ¡°That¡¯s the plan.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± The officer nodded solemnly and returned to his post.

    Ionyr watched his wife and daughter from afar. Rayza looked so happy, showing Ciel the sights, smells and sounds of a bustling city. She was a natural - it¡¯s like she was born for this.

    No wonder, he thought. This was the life she¡¯d always dreamed of, after all. And he¡¯d always supported her dream. But now that it was reality¡­he wondered whether he only supported it because he never believed it would come true in the first place.

    A good husband would support his wife regardless of his own wishes. A good father would put on a smile for his daughter and raise her well.

    But he missed going on adventures. He missed their passionate nights.

    He didn¡¯t know how to raise his daughter well. He had grown to resent her for ruining his marriage.

    Rayza bore no guilt, she was living the life he¡¯d promised her.

    Ciel bore no guilt, she was simply living the life she was given.

    Therefore, the guilt and shame lay squarely on his shoulders alone. Which raised an important question.

    With his adventuring life gone, what did Ionyr have left to live for, exactly? If he could give his purposeless existence so Rayza and Ciel may have a fulfilling one¡­would that be worth it? It¡¯s about all he was good for at this point. As a father and husband, it¡¯s what he was made to do.

    ¡°They¡¯ll find someone better.¡± He thought as he passed through the gate. ¡°Someone better than me.¡±

 Chapter 16 - Fateful little accidents

    ¡°Here you go.¡±

    The vendor held out two breaded meats. Ionyr took them and handed one each to Rayza and Ciel, then took the last for himself before dropping three coppers in the vendor¡¯s open hand.

    ¡°Pleasure doing business with you.¡±

    Sure didn¡¯t sound like it. The vendor¡¯s face was marred by a sunk, sullen look. Bags under his eyes and a drooping, monotone voice that could only result from being stripped of your freedom - trapped in an unbreakable cage.

    Ionyr could relate to that.

    After giving the vendor a curt nod, he followed the girls down the bustling street. Rayza gushed over the local specialty while Ciel curiously nibbled around the edges, looking around the big market as she did. The further in they went, the denser the crowd got, and the more expensive the goods on display appeared to be.

    The central square had been turned into a hub for all sorts of merchants, who¡¯d turned it into one big bazaar. The merchants¡¯ workers were busily buzzing around like diligent little bees, carrying crates between different stalls while their bosses fought the real battle - either haggling with fellow merchants, or feverishly selling their merchandise to the locals. The warm, humid air was filled with the smell of myriad dishes of many different cultures mixing together.

    It gave the impression of a thriving city, and certainly, the locals were beaming with the nigh endless goods from all over at their disposal. Though even with the market positively bustling, the merchants¡¯ and workers¡¯ faces all shared the same sullen, sunken expression. Like a dog denied his walk. Or a bird in a cage.

    Looks like even massive profits weren¡¯t able to make up for the fact they were trapped here.

    Ionyr had a bite of the breaded meat. A simple dish, really. It was nothing more than the roasted leg of a Hearthsheep sliced into small ribbons and layered into the bread with a spoonful of vegetables. The meat was juicy and tender, and a comfortable warmth quickly spread in Ionyr¡¯s belly.

    Tasted like home. The warm hearth of his home.

    Ionyr sighed. How long until they got there? How long until he could meet with Raev and Ielus? These negative thoughts were starting to get out of hand. He¡¯d never felt like this before¡­and he couldn¡¯t deny them much longer. If there was any way to solve this, then they would know. He had to talk to them about it before it ate him up completely.

    But with the bandits out and about, it was too risky to leave the city. And besides, Rayza seemed to be enjoying herself here. Browsing the various stalls of the market, trying new foods¡­all with her daughter. Cute clothes here, pretty necklaces there¡­she¡¯d never shown him that side of hers. She¡¯d always chosen practical clothes over pretty ones.

    To be honest, he felt a little left behind. Why wasn¡¯t she like that with him? He¡¯d like to see her in cute clothes and pretty necklaces, too.

    ¡­maybe it¡¯s no that she didn¡¯t want to, but that she couldn¡¯t. Maybe he was as much a cage to her as¡­

    ¡°Better not finish that thought.¡± Ionyr shook his head and had another bite of his lunch. Still tasted of home, though a little more bitter than he¡¯d like.

    He finished his meal with two large bites, forcefully gulping it down before following Rayza into a large tent, belonging to a clothes merchant. The tent took a brazen amount of space, uncomfortably squeezing the smaller stalls around it together. Clothes of all shapes, sizes and colours were distributed inside, some neatly presented, others haphazardly tossed onto the floor. Ionyr noticed a distinct correlation between how expensive it looked and how it was displayed.

    While watching her and Ciel peruse various dresses with a smile, he sighed. Might as well deal with his business now. Not like there was a place for him here.

    He tapped on Rayza¡¯s shoulder, startling her out of perusing the clothes in the pile on the floor. ¡°Gonna head to the Pen, send those letters. Let¡¯s meet here, alright?¡±

    ¡°Oh, uh¡­yeah.¡± She said, nodding absently. After turning back to the pile, she squealed happily. ¡°Oh my goodness! Ciel, that dress is adorable! Where¡¯d you find it?¡± Ciel pointed at the pile. ¡°Let¡¯s see if we can find some shoes that go with it!¡±

    Ionyr took that as his cue to leave. Weaving through the crowd of people, he made his way towards the Postage Pen. The large wooden, straw-filled tower was hard to miss, even behind the Ashen Order¡¯s cathedral. As he passed by it, he glanced at the guards by the entrance. Two rough-looking men, their faces bullish and unshaven, glared back at him.

    ¡°Whatcha lookin¡¯ at?¡± One of them growled.

    ¡°Nothing. Excuse me.¡± He averted his eyes. These two were clearly not cut from the same cloth as the gate guards - this was the Ashen Order Rayza knew and loved to hate. Shameless criminals dressing up in knights¡¯ colours, to be ¡®redeemed¡¯.

    Suddenly, Ionyr felt a knock on his head.

    ¡°Ouch.¡± He said, rubbing his nose and looking up. Standing before him was a handsome man doing the same.

    ¡°Sorry, didn¡¯t see you there.¡± The man laughed, rubbing his forehead before running his hand through his slick, well-groomed hair. He also had a low-tied ponytail, wild and bushy. ¡°You good?¡±

    ¡°Hey, I should be asking you that.¡± Ionyr chuckled awkwardly. ¡°It was my bad, too lost in thoughts.¡±

    ¡°No, no. ¡®Twas my fault, I was too absorbed in the atmosphere.¡± The man sighed wistfully as he let his gaze trail over the crowd. His honey-coloured eyes glistened with marvel. ¡°Beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°I guess.¡± Ionyr shrugged. ¡°Feels a little suffocating, I¡¯d say.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s just it.¡± The man smiled. ¡°So many people in one place, so many lives, so many caged dreams. And every moment is an accident waiting to happen. A fateful accident to put a tiny crack inthat cage.¡±

    He nodded towards the crowd. Ionyr followed his gesture to see a boy stumble, dropping a crate. A merchant, probably his boss, yelled at him before turning back to his customers.

    ¡°What¡¯s so special about that?¡±

    ¡°Shhh.¡± The man continued watching with glee. ¡°Here comes Lady Destiny.¡±

    A cute young girl hastened to the boy¡¯s side, bent down to help him up. After cleaning the scratch on his cheek with her handkerchief, she shyly smiled at him before running off to help another merchant. The boy was left obviously starstruck.

    ¡°That¡¯s cute.¡± Ionyr smiled, as the fond memory of his and Rayza¡¯s first meeting came to mind.

    ¡°See? They would¡¯ve never met if it weren¡¯t for that little accident.¡± The man smiled. ¡°How cruel.¡±

    ¡°Cruel?¡± Ionyr raised an eyebrow. ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s that merchant¡¯s daughter, and he¡¯s a drifter. You can tell the path they¡¯ve walked by their clothes.¡± The man sighed wistfully. ¡°Her father would never let them get together - and his boss would never let him go. Now look, see the stars in his eyes?¡±

    Sure enough, the boy looked starstruck. Mouth agape, staring at the piece of cloth in his hand.

    ¡°There¡¯s the crack in the cage - he¡¯s dreaming of their life together right now. Young love, so sweet and pure¡­and inevitably fated to be harshly struck down.¡± The man shook his head. ¡°Reality is a harsh mistress, and her binds, indestructible. And yet, there is a certain beauty in dreaming for an impossible future - to yearn for the breaking of those invisible chains that our life¡¯s path places on us. Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Ionyr nodded. Those words struck a certain chord with him, twisted and guilt-laden. ¡°I do. What¡¯s the point in life without those dreams?¡±

    ¡°Ha! Exactly!¡± The man laughed and patted Ionyr on the shoulder. ¡°I like you. You¡¯re a dreamer as well, I can tell.¡±

    ¡°Used to be.¡± He said with a sigh.

    ¡°Why, what happened?¡± The man asked, appearing genuinely concerned.

    ¡°Nothing worth talking about.¡± As much as he¡¯d love to vent his frustrations, this stranger was the wrong person. In fact, that¡¯s why he needed to send those letters in the first place. He better get going. ¡°Actually, I have to get to the Pen, so if I may¡­¡±

    As Ionyr tried to walk past the stranger, he felt a hand on his shoulder again. ¡°One moment. Here.¡± The man handed him a golden coin. ¡°I don¡¯t know which star has been taken from your eyes, but I hope this helps.¡±

    Opposite problem, actually. There¡¯s one Star constantly blocking his vision.

    ¡°I can¡¯t accept this.¡± Ionyr went to hand the coin back, but the stranger was already moving on.

    ¡°Too bad, it¡¯s already yours.¡± The man said, heading towards the crowd. ¡°The only thing that can¡¯t change ownership is your passion. Your dream is yours forever.¡± He said, turning around one last time with a grin. ¡°Don¡¯t let yourself be chained up, man!¡±

    ¡°Hey, wait!¡±

    The man winked before disappearing between the many people mingling in the marketplace. Ionyr, realising that Rayza was waiting, figured it better to not give chase. Glancing at the gold coin in his hand, he shot a look at the starstruck young man. Might as well put this coin to good use, he thought as he made his way over to a florists¡¯ stand. The elderly lady running it was busy arranging her merchandise. ¡°Do you do deliveries?¡±

    ¡°That depends, lad.¡± She looked up with a warm smile. ¡°Where do you want it delivered to?¡±

    Ionyr pointed at the young girl and drifter from before. ¡°To each of them. And tell them it¡¯s sent by the other.¡±

    ¡°Aw, aren¡¯t you a little old to be playing matchmaker?¡± The woman laughed heartily.

    ¡°One is never too old to have a little fun. And besides¡­¡± Ionyr looked at the boy with a nostalgic smile. ¡°I have a soft spot for young dreamers.¡± He saw the girl glancing back at the drifter and waving shyly. ¡°Young love, too.¡±

    ¡°Alright lad. Which flowers¡¯re you picking for the young couple?¡±

    ¡°Firemane roses.¡± They indicated an uncertain romantic future, if he recalled correctly. He¡¯d bought a whole bouquet for Rayza on their last anniversary. Now, though, he¡¯d prefer things a little more certain.

    Would certainly help him choose how to approach their situation.

    ¡°I will see them delivered before the next tolling of the bell.¡± The lady smiled. ¡°That¡¯ll be one copper.¡±

    Ionyr nodded and reached for his wallet. Hm. Not in its usual spot. Maybe on the left side? Nope, not there either.

    ¡­drat.

    ¡°...it would seem that I¡¯ve been robbed.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re taking this remarkably well.¡± She answered with a hint of worry. ¡°I can¡¯t do this for free, you know.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know.¡± He handed her the golden coin. ¡°But fortune did smile upon me today, at least.¡± In the form of a kind stranger. And now fortune would smile upon those children, too. So they might break their chains and be free.

    If they succeeded to make their passion bloom¡­if it worked out for them¡­why not for him?

    <hr>

    After buying a new wallet with the rest of his money, Ionyr made his way to the Pen. The crowd thinned soon after leaving the central square, thankfully making his walk there a little easier. Though, once he stepped into the massive tent, his heart immediately sunk. While the streets were emptier than before, the inside of the Postage Pen was brimming with bickering merchants.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Of course, he thought, facepalming. With the bandit blockade, there were likely irate business partners they needed to explain themselves to. Just his luck. Each of the three open desks was besieged by a long line of angry merchants looking for a fight. And the people at the counter just so happened to be the perfect target. All the polite attempts at de-escalation were met with brusque attitudes and snide remarks, without ever getting to the point.

    Fantastic. Didn¡¯t help that the others in line loudly complained as well, sparking more fights in the line, as well as the desks themselves. At this rate, it would take ages before Ionyr got to send those two letters.

    From the corner of his eye, Ionyr noticed a cute young woman hastily run out of a backroom, out of breath. She stopped behind an empty desk, wiping a stain from her lips. Did she just get back from her break? Raising her hand, she waved and yelled, trying to overcome the frustrated brouhaha of the crowd. ¡°We¡¯re opening this desk! Y¡¯all can queue here!¡±

    Not a moment too soon. No one else had noticed, and so Ionyr pounced on the opportunity. Before she could call out again, he was already standing in front of her desk.

    ¡°May I go first?¡± He asked with his most charming smile.

    ¡°S-sure.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Thank the Four.¡± He pumped his fist, and shot the men in the other line a cheeky grin. ¡°Sorry, fellas.¡±

    She giggled nervously as the men grumpily filed in line behind Ionyr. Ah, drat. She¡¯d probably get an earful for his little stunt.

    ¡°Sorry. Couldn¡¯t help myself.¡± Ionyr said, but she waved it off shyly.

    ¡°O-oh, no worries. Would¡¯ve been an awful shift either way. I don¡¯t think¡­¡±

    She stopped as angry murmurs from the line reached their ears.

    ¡°Fucking cheater¡­¡±

    ¡°He better watch his back¡­¡±

    They shared a nervous laugh. ¡°I think you should worry more about yourself.¡±

    ¡°Relax.¡± He flexed his arm and laughed. ¡°Nothing I can¡¯t handle.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± She paused, staring at his arm before shaking her head. While pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, she gave him a shy smile before continuing. ¡°So¡­what can I do for you?¡±

    ¡°Need two letters sent. One to the Isles, to one Sir Raev.¡±

    The woman nodded and rang a small bell on her desk. Moments later, a small black cat descended from the rafters, using strung up ropes to hop down, until it plopped down on her desk. While she scratched its head, she looked back up at Ionyr.

    ¡°Where does this Sir Raev live, if I may ask?¡±

    ¡°Out in the middle of nowhere.¡± Ionyr pulled out a small metal emblem from his chest pocket and presented it to the woman. Her eyes widened slightly upon seeing it. ¡°Using this should be simpler.¡±

    ¡°My word¡­.¡± She let the cat sniff the emblem. ¡°Friends in high places, I see.¡±

    ¡°Not anymore.¡± Ionyr shook his head. ¡°Only good his crest does now is to help us stay in contact.¡±

    The cat then hopped down beside him and nuzzled his leg.

    ¡°Looks like little Lori is ready to go.¡± The woman gave him a bright smile.

    What an angel, he thought. Wait no, he¡¯s married. Get those thoughts out of your head. Though, maybe¡­those were just invisible chains as well¡­?

    He immediately slapped himself. What was he thinking?!

    ¡°Uh, sir?¡± The woman seemed a little taken aback, and slightly worried. ¡±You mentioned a second letter?¡±

    ¡°Er¡­yeah. Yeah, I did.¡± He nodded, trying to shake his increasingly worrisome thoughts. ¡±This one¡¯s going to one Ielus.¡±

    ¡°You mean¡­Ielus of Artivia?¡±

    Ionyr nodded. ¡°He¡¯s my brother. Haven¡¯t spoken in ages, and I¡¯d like him to meet his niece.¡± Looking around, he could see the men behind him staring at him with puzzled, and puzzling expressions. Everyone seemed so¡­nervous. Like they found a sudden respect for him upon mention of his brother.

    ¡°O-of course, sir.¡± She said, ringing the bell, a little more forcefully this time. ¡°We¡¯ve got his mail emblem in our archive, so you may proceed ahead.¡±

    ¡°Oh, good. That¡¯s a relief.¡± Ionyr smiled and whipped out his new wallet. ¡°So, how much will that cost me?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. Consider it paid for.¡± She hastily waved it off. Not a moment later, a white cat dropped onto the desk, looking him up and down before hopping onto the ground where it sat down next to his leg. ¡°Please, be on your way.¡±

    ¡°Nothing? Nonsense, I¡¯ve always paid for these services in the past, what¡¯s different now? Besides, it would be unfair to the fellas in line. So, how much?¡± He opened his wallet, playing with a silver coin.

    ¡°Sir, please. Be on your way, we¡¯ve got other customers waiting.¡± Her voice cracked a little. Ionyr could clearly see he was no longer welcome here.

    ¡°Fine.¡± Sighing, he placed one of his many silvers on her desk. ¡±Then let that be your tip, miss.¡± He gave her a wink, feeling the eyes of the other men on his back. Gave him the creeps. As he walked past the desk and into the backroom, he heard her mumble to herself.

    ¡°Friends in high places, indeed¡­¡± He caught her glancing at him with an indecipherable expression. She immediately averted her eyes and greeted the next customer, though there was a light blush on her cheeks.

    Huh. That girl¡¯s into me, isn¡¯t she? He violently shook his head. What did it matter? He played with his ring, as he continued with an admittedly shameful extra spring in his step. What did it matter¡­

    It all started when he mentioned Ielus. Friends in high places, she said¡­seems like his brother made it big in the Order. They even had his emblem on file. Ionyr smiled sadly. He always knew his brother would get far in life.

    Now look at you, a voice in the back of his head whispered. You let yourself be chained. Even worse, you try to protect them¡­while yourself being the one to break them.

    Ionyr silently buried those thoughts where they came from while heading through a small doorway. It led into the tower¡¯s base, where many desks were placed in small, private booths, with an assortment of all kinds of writing utensils. Quills from every bird, paper of every tree and inks of all colours were neatly arranged on the desks for customer use.

    Looking up, he could see the birds and dragonflies coming in and out, dropping the letters they carried into one of four pipes - labelled North, South, West and East. Those then ran downwards and into the outer area of the tent, where the clerks would sort them and distribute them to the appropriate mail caravans.

    Maybe he should take up mail delivery. Wages weren¡¯t good, but it was stable work. Got to travel, too - on his own terms to boot. Hey, look. You can be a responsible father and happy adventurer at the same time after all. Problem solved!

    ¡­yeah, no. Bad call. That idea was nothing more than an excuse to run away.

    Ionyr shook his head and claimed one of the empty booths, the two cats close on his tail. As he sat down in front of the desk, the black cat jumped onto his lap. He stroked its head, and it slowly blinked and purred happily while nuzzling his hand. Then the white cat hopped onto the desk, staring at him with an almost demanding look as it sat down.

    ¡°I¡¯m on it, relax.¡± He chuckled as he took a quill and a sheet of paper. ¡°Let¡¯s start with Raev. Haven¡¯t heard from him in ages.¡± Well, besides the odd gadget here and there - like the Get-¡¯em-Up. Would¡¯ve been nice to use his pen, but he¡¯d dropped his pouch at the inn earlier. Good thing he kept his valuables and wallet separate - would¡¯ve been a shame to lose those gadgets too.

    Putting the quill to paper, he began writing his message.

    Hey Raev,

    It¡¯s been a while. How are you? Hope you¡¯re not staying cooped up in your study as always. There¡¯s more to life than research.

    Like kids. Believe it or not, I¡¯m a father now. Crazy, right?

    He paused, realising that there may be some room for misinterpretation. Better clarify.

    I know you¡¯ll point it out - it hasn¡¯t even been 9 months since my last letter. Well, let¡¯s just say that this child is special. A blessed angel sent to us from the gods themselves.

    He chuckled a little, already seeing a glimpse of Raev¡¯s puzzled expression before his mind¡¯s eye.

    On another note, we¡¯ve made a big discovery in our pursuits we¡¯d like to share. As well as a fantastic anecdote for your research on the gems.

    There¡¯s the bait. Time to reel in the fish.

    I¡¯d like you to come visit - as soon as you can. There¡¯s much to talk about. We¡¯ve learned many things on this journey - things I¡¯m sure you¡¯d be overjoyed to know.

    Raev had always gone against the Ashen Order¡¯s world view that there is no deeper meaning to this world beyond the Four Eternals and Firemane¡¯s legacy that stemmed from their blessing. He would be immensely satisfied to learn that the Order was, in Raev¡¯s own words:

    ¡°Full of shit.¡±

    Although, now that Ionyr thought about it, maybe it wasn¡¯t such a good idea to inflate Raev¡¯s ego even more. The man barely ever left his study, and encouraging that would probably be a drag on his wife and child. In fact, Ionyr was pretty sure that he hadn¡¯t received a letter precisely because of Raev¡¯s insatiable passion for his experiments.

    Ah well. Problems for future Ionyr. And present Ionyr desperately needed his friend¡¯s counsel.

    Did Raev have the same struggles, he wondered. Did he also feel the weight of those invisible chains? Or did he manage to loosen their grip, to pursue his passion unbound? Was there some middle ground Ionyr failed to see? Or did Raev simply accept that he was born for his research, and not fatherhood?

    Did¡­did his own father have the exact same struggle?

    Ionyr paused as he realised that he¡¯d never really thought about it. Sure, there were a few keepsakes left of him, but Mom had never told him what became of his father. Not that it mattered deeply to him, but Ionyr felt like it would be a valuable conversation to have.

    Anyway, time¡¯s a wastin¡¯. Focus and finish these letters. Rayza¡¯s waiting.

    Hope to see you soon, my friend. I could really use your counsel.

    Yours truly,

    Ionyr

    He looked over the writing and sighed. Was it really him who wrote this? The man who did seemed satisfied with his new life - and he should.

    So why wasn¡¯t he?

    After folding the paper and placing it inside its envelope, the black cat jumped up from his lap and onto the counter, gently taking the letter in its mouth. Ionyr pet it one last time before it hopped up on a small ladder that led up into the tower. The cat eventually reached one of the many nests and set it down, meowing loudly before heading back down into the rafters - likely to take a well-deserved nap.

    Ionyr could faintly see a spacious, pocket-like beak scooping up the letter, shortly followed by the sound of flapping wings, confirming take-off. The mail was on its way to Raev - that only left Ielus.

    He took another sheet of paper, and tipped the quill into the ink. Setting it to the paper, he wrote:

    Dear Ielus,

    Hm. Didn¡¯t sound right. Too simple. They were brothers after all. Ionyr ripped it in half and grabbed another sheet of paper.

    My dearest brother,

    Now that just sounded weird. Let¡¯s try that again. Maybe with a little more formality, given his station?

    To the esteemed Ielus of the Ashen Order,

    Yuck. Nope, Ionyr thought, that felt disgusting to write. Maybe it was best to keep it simple after all.

    Hello Ielus,

    Eh, he still wasn¡¯t happy with it, but at this point, it was the best he had. Might as well go with it.

    How are you? It¡¯s been too long. Hope you¡¯re holding up well.

    Actually, if Ielus had made a name for himself, his schedule would likely be full. Best get straight to the point.

    Me and Rayza are doing well. In fact, we¡¯ve found something¡­

    Huh. Should he just come out and say what they found? Ionyr paused briefly, slowly grinning as an idea came to mind. Nah, it would be way funnier as a surprise. He chuckled while imagining the shock on Ielus¡¯ face. It would be hysterical. Yeah, better to keep it vague.

    Also, it would serve as excellent bait - his brother was just as, if not more curious than Ionyr himself. He¡¯d never let an unresolved question with a potentially intriguing answer pass him by.

    In fact, we¡¯ve found something promising in our travels. A highly promising lead on the you-know-what.

    Yeah, that should do it. Keeping it vague served another purpose, too. After all, who knows who¡¯d be reading this letter? If Ielus had a high station, he likely had an aide that filtered his mail - and it¡¯s better not let everyone know that they were searching for the Creators. Might get him in trouble.

    Come visit me, as soon as you can. There is much to discuss.

    Ionyr paused again. This was very business-like¡­not exactly the tone he was going for. They were brothers after all.

    And besides, I want to see you again. Make sure you¡¯re okay.

    ¡°Look after your little brother.¡± That was his mother¡¯s final wish, and while he¡¯d never forgotten it, he did fail to keep that promise for many years, chasing his own passion instead. It¡¯s time he made good on it.

    And hopefully, Ielus would have some useful counsel to help Ionyr with his troubles, too. He always was the smarter one between the two of them.

    I hope to see you soon, Ielus.

    Yours truly,

    Ionyr

    Looking it over, Ionyr nodded approvingly - he was as satisfied as could be. Time to send it and be off. After folding and sealing the letter, the white cat quickly snatched it up and darted up the tower.

    Seems like someone was looking forward to their nap. Ionyr chuckled as he saw it drop the letter - but not in any of the birds¡¯ nests, but instead in one of the hive-like structures that sat below. With a loud buzz, a dragonfly soared out of the opening, flew a loop around the tower, then zipped back through the hole, grabbing the letter in its legs on its way out.

    Wait¡­the dragonflies were only used for short-range deliveries, across the land. If the letter had to cross the sea, it would have to go by bird, like with Raev¡¯s letter. Then¡­this had to mean¡­

    ¡°He¡¯s here. In Idyllis.¡±

    Fate. It had to be fate. Suddenly, Ionyr felt a giddy feeling rising in his gut. He would see his brother again - and soon at that. A smile spread on his face.

    At long last. The three of them, together again.

    He jumped up and ran out of the tower base. He gave the girl at the desk a happy wave as he ran out the Postage Pen. Zipping through the crowd, he made his way back to the big clothing stall at record pace. He was so giddy that he never once got out of breath.

    The air smelled a little fresher, the breeze on his face a little cooler. Everything looked a little more colourful. Man, what a fantastic piece of news. What a fantastic day!

    By the Four, he was so excited to see that smile on Rayza¡¯s face. Weaving through the crowded market with a springy step, he quickly arrived at the big tent he¡¯d left her at. He quickly scanned the tent for her familiar blonde hair from the entrance.

    There it was! Just barely visible, in the back corner. As he approached, he could see her talking to someone - a man. She was smiling¡­laughing, even.

    She looked happy.

 Chapter 17 - Through the other lens

    ¡°Thank you so much.¡± Rayza said, wiping the sweat from her forehead. Thank the Four that they were down to the last set of clothes - the heat inside this tent was starting to get to her. ¡°Couldn¡¯t have lugged all those clothes over without your help.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it.¡± The stranger replied, smoothly taking the unwanted dresses from her arm and tossing them back onto the pile. ¡°Can¡¯t leave you two lovelies with manual labour.¡±

    ¡°Oh, stop. I told you, I¡¯m married.¡± She giggled, glancing at the curtain that Ciel was changing behind. Rayza only needed to help her once - after that, Ciel had already mastered the art of un- and redressing. What a smart cookie.

    ¡°Obviously.¡± The man smiled cockily and crossed his arms. ¡°All men desire to lock down a beautiful lioness - someone like you wouldn¡¯t stay free for long.¡±

    Rayza rolled her eyes and leaned back against one of the wooden supporting pillars. ¡°Laying it on thick, are we?¡±

    ¡°Is the honeypot not to your taste? I can be a little more spicy, if you wish.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother.¡± She waved him off. ¡°My husband¡¯s all the sugar and spice I can handle.¡±

    ¡°Husband this, married that.¡± The man shook his head with a disappointed sigh. ¡°You let yourself be chained up so easily. Don¡¯t you wish to run free? To follow your passion?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Rayza turned to the curtain with a wistful smile. ¡°It¡¯s what I¡¯ve been waiting for all my life.¡±

    A small hand grabbed the curtain and slowly pushed it aside.

    ¡°Oh my¡­¡± The man said, whistling.

    ¡°...goodness.¡± Rayza covered her mouth, trying her best to not loudly squeal - she¡¯d already gotten a few complaints from the owner. ¡°Ciel, you¡­you¡¯re beautiful.¡±

    Ciel tilted her head and looked at herself in the mirror. The dress Rayza had picked out was perfect. It was a light blue colour with short sleeves, reaching just below her knees. Along with the leather shoes and white socks, she wore a dark blue shawl as an accessory, adorned with a clear gem in the middle.

    Thankfully, said shawl included a hood that Ciel had draped over her conspicuous white hair, but even still, the entire outfit evoked innocence and purity. A kind of purity that Rayza had yearned for in her own childhood. Truly¡­it was perfect.

    See, Father? It is more than a simple pipe dream.

    ¡°What do you think of it, Ciel?¡± She asked as she bent down, adjusting the hood slightly, her lips quivering slightly.

    Ciel silently stared at her reflection with an indecipherable expression. Yet, that lack of emotion gave her a serene, almost otherworldly and ethereal aura - an angel sent by the heavens, like one would find in ancient paintings. Suddenly, Ciel turned around and pointed past Rayza. ¡°Papa.¡± She said blankly.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Rayza spun on her heel, finding Ionyr standing at a slight distance. His mouth was slightly agape. ¡°Oh, perfect timing! We were just about to leave.¡± She ushered Ciel back into the changing room.

    ¡°I best be on my way, then.¡± The stranger  said, putting his hands in his pockets, his eyes on Ionyr.

    ¡°Yes, that would be for the best.¡± Rayza nodded and headed into the changing room to escape this conversation. ¡°Thanks again for your help.¡±

    ¡°No problem. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll meet again.¡± The stranger walked away, and stopped briefly beside Ionyr, placing a hand on his shoulder.

    Rayza shut the curtain and helped Ciel change. Didn¡¯t want to give her husband the wrong idea. Sure, she knew that their trust was unbreakable, but his expression still left an uneasy taste in her mouth. Better not to push her luck.

    Once they were done, they exited the changing room, finding Ionyr in a staring contest with the floor. She lightly tapped him on the shoulder, causing him to jump and startle from his brooding.

    ¡°You okay?¡± She asked, raising an eyebrow. She hadn¡¯t seen him act like this¡­ever, really.

    His expression turned sombre and brooding once again. ¡°Yeah. You done here?¡±

    ¡°Just need to pay.¡± Raising the clothes she had slung over her arm, Rayza nodded towards the round counter built around the central supporting pillar. He nodded and followed her, though his gaze remained cast at the ground.

    ¡°Papa?¡± Ciel tugged at his sleeve.

    ¡°Yeah? What¡¯s up, Ciel?¡± He replied, unable to suppress a voice crack.

    ¡°...¡± Ciel opened her mouth, but couldn¡¯t seem to find the proper words, so she closed it and kept walking at his side.

    Something was off, even Ciel could tell. Even if she couldn¡¯t express it properly, bless her. He fell silent and began staring at the ground again, avoiding eye contact.

    There was a line at the counter, so Rayza took the opportunity to think. Ionyr had been acting this way since she turned to look at him. Come to think of it, his expression when he returned¡­she hadn¡¯t really paid much attention to it, but¡­he looked shocked¡­and hurt. The stranger from earlier had briefly stopped beside him - likely said something to him.

    That guy wouldn¡¯t, right? He wouldn¡¯t intentionally lie¡­right?

    ¡°What did that guy say to you?¡± She asked. Better set things straight before they get out of hand.

    ¡°Something about chains and whatnot.¡± He sighed and shrugged, averting his eyes still. ¡°Met him earlier in the streets, seems to be his thing.¡±

    ¡°Oh really?¡± She raised an eyebrow. ¡°Said the same stuff to me. Kept trying to make advances, too.¡± She flashed her ring to reassure him. ¡°Obviously denied him.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±

    Clearly not, Rayza thought, you look just as miserable as before. The line moved, and she handed Ionyr the clothes to take out her wallet.

    ¡°Can¡¯t help but notice¡­there¡¯s only children¡¯s clothes in here.¡± Ionyr said absent-mindedly, playing with the soft fabric. ¡°Not buying anything for yourself?¡±

    ¡°Nah.¡± She shook her head. ¡°These kinds of clothes would be wasted on me.¡±

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t say that.¡± He said, cracking a weak, clearly forced smile. ¡°You¡¯d look great in anything.¡±

    ¡°Oh, good.¡± She gestured at her sweated-in shirt and dirty, worn shorts. Easy to move in and to clean - comfy and practical. Just how she liked it. ¡°So there¡¯s no problem with my current outfit, right?¡±

    His smile vanished. ¡°I guess not.¡± He said after a short pause, going back to his mopey mood.

    Seriously, what was up with him? His teasing, his confidence¡­where had it all gone?

    ¡°Papa¡­okay?¡± Ciel asked, tugging at his sleeve again.

    ¡°...yeah.¡± He said after another pause, forcing a smile. Bending down, he picked her up on his free arm. ¡°I¡¯m alright, Ciel. No need to worry.¡±

    Liar.

    ¡°Next, please!¡±

    Rayza left her doubts for later and quickly took her spot at the counter, barely making it before another woman cut the line. Shooting the other shopper a glare, she then turned to the clerk with a smile as Ionyr placed the dress, shoes and shawl on the counter.

    ¡°Right, what do I owe you?¡± Rayza reached for her wallet. Hm. Not where it usually was. Maybe she misplaced it. ¡°One moment.¡± Ah, there it was.

    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no need for that.¡± The clerk raised her hand, stopp¨ªng her. ¡°A man came by a moment ago and already paid for your expenses.¡±

    ¡°Huh. How kind of him. Could you pack these, then?¡± She told the girl, while glancing at Ionyr, who averted his eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask him to do that, you know.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I know. He gave me a gold coin earlier for indulging his rants. He¡¯s a good man. Probably¡­¡± His mouth hung open, as if to add to that statement, but instead he shook his head and fell silent.

    Rayza wanted so badly to confront him, to shake him and ask why he¡¯d become so sulky all of a sudden. But this was neither the place nor the time to do it. Not in this store, not in front of a crowd and certainly not in front of Ciel.

    ¡°Miss, your purchase.¡± The clerk handed her a cloth bag containing the Star¡¯s new clothes.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Rayza said absent-mindedly, slinging it over her shoulder, gaze fixed on Ionyr, her mind racing.

    ¡°Let¡¯s head back to the inn.¡± Ionyr said, and she nodded, following him through the crowd and out of the tent.

    Maybe¡­did something happen at the Postage Pen? Was there an accident of some kind? No, the news would spread like wildfire. Perhaps there was a letter for him from Raev or Ielus? Or¡­not a letter from them, but¡­

    ¡°Oh no¡­¡± Rayza whispered, covering her mouth, realising what might¡¯ve happened. She paused, letting Ionyr pull slightly ahead, studying his face, wondering, hoping that she was wrong. But what else could be weighing on him like this? The only way to find out was to ask, obviously, death was not a subject to broach in front of a child.

    Rayza was ripped from her thoughts by that same child suddenly pointing at the Order¡¯s cathedral.

    ¡°Papa, what¡¯s that?¡± Ciel asked, looking up at the high tower adorned by stained glass bearing Firemane¡¯s lion.

    ¡°That¡¯s the Ashen Order¡¯s base in this city.¡± His voice was heavy. ¡°It¡¯s the regional governor¡¯s seat, and where the pilgrims are prepared for their journey to the North.¡±

    ¡°Pil¡­grims?¡±

    ¡°Pilgrims are criminals that are sent North to redeem themselves - like King Firemane¡¯s closest friends.¡± He sighed, the depth of his turmoil becoming ever more evident, ever more blatantly obvious. ¡°They went on a spiritual journey with him, making them the legendary legion to end the demons - giving up lives of evil for virtuous ones. Or so the story goes.¡±

    Rayza bit her lip. That story hit a little too close to home now.

    ¡°He needs me.¡± She realised, before heading after them. Ionyr and she needed to speak - in private. Away from Ciel¡¯s curious eyes and ears. These heavy emotions weren''t something they could burden their child with - Rayza had promised to give her a happy, carefree childhood.

    But how would they get that time to talk? It¡¯s not like they could entrust their daughter to anyone else. In Artivia, maybe. But in Postitia? No way, too many scoundrels, and too many chances for her to disappear. But getting to Artivia was too dangerous with this bandit infestation on the roads. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    Maybe when Ciel was asleep? It was worth a shot, though she always went to sleep when Rayza did.

    ¡°This would¡¯ve been so simple a month ago.¡± She mumbled, sighing as she walked through the inn¡¯s front gate. It was a small place - the tiled roof and grey, rain-worn bricks gave away the owner¡¯s northern origins. Small wafts of steam blew over from behind the house, carrying a crisp, piney scent.

    ¡°Welcome back!¡± The middle-aged lady that ran the inn warmly greeted them. She stood up, putting aside a quill and leaning over the countertop, which was made of a dark northern wood, like everything else inside the inn. ¡°Found what you were looking for?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Ionyr nodded with a smile, letting Ciel down from his arm. ¡°Got some clothes for the little one.¡±

    ¡°Good, good!¡± The lady let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Was afraid she¡¯d turn out like Rayza.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that I picked them out, Linberg.¡± Rayza said, dusting off her boots on the doormat.

    ¡°By the Four.¡± Linberg covered her mouth in fake shock and turned to Ionyr. ¡°Please tell me she didn¡¯t just buy boyish clothes. What a waste for such a charming young girl!¡±

    Ionyr chuckled dryly as Rayza rolled her eyes. ¡°No, actually.¡± He said, motioning towards the bag. ¡°She bought a dress and shawl. Very cute.¡± Pausing briefly, he sighed.

    ¡°Indeed.¡± Rayza took out and presented the adorable outfit she¡¯d bought for Ciel.

    ¡°My word.¡± Linberg said, astonished. ¡°Since when did you know how to dress girly?¡±

    ¡°Oi.¡± Packing the clothes again, Rayza leaned in close. ¡°If my daughter weren¡¯t here, I¡¯d be cussing you out to next week and back.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± Linberg grinned cheekily. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m savouring every second.¡±

    ¡°You damn old¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be off.¡± Ionyr said, heading down the hall towards their room. ¡°Gonna take a bath to clear my head.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Oh yeah, good idea!¡± Rayza quickly took Ciel¡¯s hand and moved to follow. ¡°We should take one, too.¡±

    ¡°One moment.¡± Linberg raised her hand. ¡°I¡¯d like to ask you something first.¡± Rayza paused, glancing between the innkeeper and her daughter. Linberg smiled at Ciel and nodded towards the hallway. ¡°Go on, after your Papa. I need to speak with your mother for a moment.¡±

    ¡°Mama?¡± Ciel looked up at Rayza for confirmation.

    ¡°...yeah.¡± Rayza patted her head softly. ¡°Go on, Ciel.¡±

    Ciel nodded and ran after Ionyr. As the light tapping of her footsteps vanished behind a distant closing door, Rayza turned to face the old woman¡¯s stern gaze.

    ¡°Now, what did you do?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You know exactly what I mean.¡± Linberg jutted her thumb towards the hallway. ¡°You two used to be glued at the hip. Now it¡¯s all icey between the both of you.¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡± Rayza said through pursed lips. ¡°I think I know why.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± The old woman crossed her arms. ¡°And why haven¡¯t you done anything about it?¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t had the chance to. Not since he came back from the Pen.¡±

    ¡°The Pen?¡± Linberg scoffed. ¡°Honey, this has been going on for longer than that. When you dropped your things earlier, his face was just as sullen.¡±

    ¡°No way.¡± Rayza let out an unsure laugh. ¡°I would¡¯ve noticed. He probably got bad news at the Pen¡­¡±

    ¡°Rayza.¡± Linberg put a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Whatever it is, it didn¡¯t happen at the Pen.¡±

    Rayza shook her head and stepped out of the woman¡¯s grip. ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing else it could be.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I can think of something.¡± Linberg glanced down the hallway. ¡°Your adopted ward - that girl.¡±

    Rayza tensed up, her hand clenching into a fist. ¡°...careful, now.¡± She replied, glaring. ¡°I don¡¯t want Ciel to hear this.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Linberg raised an eyebrow. ¡°She¡¯s what, five, six years old? She should know you¡¯re not her real-¡±

    Rayza reached out and clamped her hands over Linberg¡¯s mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare finish that sentence. Ciel is my daughter.¡± She hissed quietly, stepping a little closer. ¡° I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m a real mother. You hear me?¡±

    Linberg slapped away her hands, giving her a stern look. ¡°If you weren¡¯t one of my best guests, I¡¯d have knocked you flat.¡± She said, before leaning back against the counter. ¡°Honey, if the subject is this touchy¡­¡± Sighing, she shook her head. ¡°Nevermind. I won¡¯t meddle in your marriage.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± Rayza turned on her heel and headed for their room.

    ¡°But.¡± A hand touched her shoulder. ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll think about it. Please.¡±

    ¡°...fine. Now remove your hand.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Linberg let go.

    Without looking back, Rayza marched to their room, her boots¡¯ heavy falls making the floorboards let out pained whines. At the very end of the hallway, just before it bent to the right, there was a door made from old wood. It was ever so slightly ajar.

    The crisp, piney smell from earlier permeated the air - a good scent in the baths today. Now, more than ever, she wanted, no, needed a nice, hot bath to get her mind off things. She opened the door to find Ciel alone on her bed, feet dangling off the side.

    ¡°Hey Ciel.¡± She tried to hide the edge in her voice. ¡°Where¡¯s Papa?¡± She asked softly.

    ¡°Bath.¡±

    ¡°Right. Well, let¡¯s head there as well.¡± Rayza grabbed her freshly washed clothes from the bed. No creases, and warm too. Thanks, Linberg. For this, at least.

    ¡°Papa¡­okay?¡±

    Rayza tensed up. What was she supposed to say? ¡°I¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t think of anything. What could she say to her little baby? That her father was going through some issues, and so obviously that even Linberg saw it before his own wife? What message would that impart on her? That their family wasn¡¯t as perfect as it should be?

    ¡°Mama¡­not¡­know?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Rayza tried, and failed to find the words once more. Resigning herself to this small defeat, she sighed. ¡°No, Ciel. I don¡¯t know.¡± She took Ciel¡¯s hand and forced a smile. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go. They¡¯ve mixed northern pine into the bathwater today. It¡¯ll make you smell really, really good.¡±

    After closing the door behind them, Rayza led her daughter down the bend in the hall, towards the back of the inn. There was another counter there, though it stood empty. How odd, usually Linberg¡¯s son manned it. Oh well, she thought, she knew her way around anyway. Behind the counter was a fork in the hallway. Both paths led to a small doorway covered behind a cloth curtain.

    They passed through the one marked with a maneless lioness and entered the women¡¯s changing room. Steam suffused with the invigorating smell of northern pine filled the room. Near the wall, thickly hand-woven baskets were neatly arranged for them to drop their laundry into, and above them stood a large shelf with many small square compartments for them to store their clean clothes. Rayza helped Ciel undress and placed their clothes into neighbouring compartments, before taking two towels from a pile near the bath¡¯s entrance.

    She helped her daughter tie it around her chest before doing the same for herself and heading into the bath. Enveloped by the refreshingly smelling steam, Rayza took a deep breath, and let out a relaxed sigh. This was just what she needed.

    The garden-like bathing area was surrounded by large stone walls, leaving an open roof - not just for stargazers, but also for better airflow, according to Linberg. Natural stone walkways led to the main attraction: the large hotspring. It was constantly being fed water from the well on the grass through a tiny, almost puny aqueduct. Hardy trees, bushes and flowers from the North were planted to evoke the feeling of a hidden retreat in the midst of a forest.

    And while the North and the Ashen Order it created may be the worst thing to happen to this world, Rayza had to admit that they knew how to sit back and relax. Taking off her towel, she sat on one of the large, smoothly-carved rocks lining the side of the bath, and dipped her toe into the water. Just a little hotter than she was comfortable with - perfect.

    After placing her feet into the spring, she slid forward on the stone until she found the bottom. The warm gravel she found there lightly pushed back into her soles. Letting out a small moan, Rayza traced her feet back and forth, letting the stone dig into her feet, massaging away all the stress and tension.

    ¡°Mmh...¡± Rayza took off her towel, draping it over the rock and fully submerged herself in the water. After taking a moment to adjust to the temperature, she leaned against the smooth rock and closed her eyes. ¡°Fuck¡­I missed this.¡±

    ¡°Mama?¡±

    ¡°Oh, shi-¡± Rayza¡¯s eyes shot open. Her daughter was standing at the spring¡¯s edge. Definitely in earshot. ¡°You didn¡¯t hear that, right?¡±

    Ciel tilted her head in confusion. Probably didn¡¯t know which word she meant, thank the Four.

    ¡°Good, let¡¯s keep it that way.¡± Rayza mumbled before beckoning her closer. ¡°Come on in, the water¡¯s nice and warm.¡±

    For a while, Ciel just stared at the water curiously. As Rayza raised an eyebrow, she then took a big step over the edge and¡­plummeted straight through the surface, landing in the spring face-first.

    ¡°Ciel!¡± Rayza quickly sat up and pulled her above the surface. ¡°Are you hurt?!¡±

    Ciel raised her open hand and watched as the water slipped through her fingers. She then turned to Rayza. ¡°Can¡¯t walk¡­on water?¡±

    Mouth agape, Rayza took a moment to process what she just heard. She let out an involuntary snort that quickly turned to hearty laughter.

    ¡°No, Ciel.¡± She said, wiping off a tear. ¡°No, we can¡¯t walk on water.¡±

    Ciel tried once more to grab hold of water, but failed again. ¡°...drat.¡±

    Wow. She really was her father¡¯s child. Probably better if she inherited his vocabulary, Rayza thought, giggling to herself. After removing the now wet towel from Ciel¡¯s chest, she folded and draped it over one of the warm rocks. Would probably have dried off by the time they were done. And in the meantime, it would serve as a great pillow.

    Rayza did the same with her towel and leaned against it, after helping Ciel do the same. She then closed her eyes and breathed in the intense aroma. How lovely it was today - and lucky that there was no one else here. Linberg had closed the baths for the public, for their sake. Not that she was missing out on a lot of money, the big bathhouses near the center were soaking up all the profits.

    Opening her eyes slightly, Rayza ran her fingers through Ciel¡¯s hair. So soft and delicate, with no effort or care whatsoever, and yet so problematic. Maybe they should dye it. Speaking of, Rayza thought, might as well wash her own now that she had the chance. After removing the band around her hair and undoing her ponytail, she submerged her head beneath the water. She then came back up, running her fingers through her long, freed hair, relishing the feeling of the dirt coming off.

    ¡°Ow!¡± She hissed as her finger got stuck on a knot. It got tangled. Again. Examining her hand, she found a few strands stuck to her nails. Brittler than ever, looks like, and not gonna get any better. Well, that¡¯s what she got for always wearing a ponytail.

    ¡°Mama¡­okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry. Just¡­hair problems.¡± You wouldn¡¯t get it, Rayza thought as she ruffled Ciel¡¯s hair. Ciel¡¯s perfect, uncared for hair.

    ¡­fuck, she was getting jealous.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get to washing, shall we?¡± Rayza smiled and pointed at a bucket on the other side of the spring. ¡°Could you go fetch the bucket over there?¡±

    Ciel nodded and headed off as Rayza tried to untangle her hair. As she watched the little one splish and splash her way over, she leaned back against the rock and looked up at the sky. Purples, reds and oranges clashed and melded in a beautiful palette. Was it sundown already? Damn, it felt like they just got here. Linberg did always preach that the good northern springs made you forget the time - and your worries, too. All just melt away.

    ¡°Gotta apologize to Linberg.¡± Rayza sighed. Her anger having dissipated, she could see now that she overreacted. Just a little. But to be fair, insinuating that Ciel posed any kind of problem to her and Ionyr¡¯s relationship was frankly insulting.

    Right?

    But then again, Rayza thought biting her lip, what if there was some truth to that? Their intimate moments together had become few and far between. She couldn¡¯t remember the last time they shared a bed, much less a kiss. Back at the Heart of the Forest, maybe? That was so long ago!

    She was woken from her pondering by the splishing and splashing of Ciel coming closer.

    ¡°Thank you, dear.¡± Rayza smiled and took the bucket from her daughter¡¯s hands. Along the outside was a belt holding various grooming tools - most prominently a large comb. Huh, odd. There was supposed to be a bar of soap in there too. ¡°Hey Ciel, did you see a small¡­brick inside the bucket?¡±

    ¡°...mhm.¡± Ciel hummed.

    ¡°Right, where was it-¡± Rayza turned around to find Ciel nibbling on the exact thing she was looking for. She crossed her arms, and gave her a stern look. ¡°Ciel, we don¡¯t eat soap.¡±

    ¡°...sweet¡­sour¡­¡± Ciel said, continuing to munch along the edges like a little rabbit. Seemed like the Star had some acquired taste - her stomach could probably handle it, but the eyes of the public definitely couldn¡¯t. Better break this habit early.

    ¡°Give it here.¡± Rayza held out her hand. Ciel stared for a moment, as if to buy some time to eat just a little more, before handing it over.

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Why did Ciel sound so disappointed?

    Rayza rolled her eyes and sat back down beside the spring. Of all the things to wake emotion in her, it was a bar of soap? What was she being so motherly for, then? She giggled a little at the absurdity of the situation as she foamed the bucket water with the soap. Once done, she led her daughter to the well, taking a seat on one of the stone benches around it and seating Ciel beside her.

    ¡°Here, let me show you how to take care of your hair.¡± Rayza took the comb, and dipped it into the fruity mixture. Then she bunched up a handful of Ciel¡¯s hair and, slowly and tenderly, combed through it. Though a few pieces of dirt fell out, there was little change in how it looked. Seems like her daughter wouldn¡¯t even need to know all this. As Rayza took another handful to comb, her mind began to wander.

    Truth be told, she missed the passionate nights she spent with her husband. Simpler times, they were. But they couldn¡¯t anymore, not with their daughter in the picture. She wanted her to remain innocent for as long as possible. She was willing to sacrifice her carnal desires for it. Hadn¡¯t it all been just to achieve this result, anyhow?

    What about Ionyr, though? Was he ready to give it up? Or was there something else he got from it? But what could it possibly be? From the start he¡¯d sworn to give her a child, so now that they had a child, what was the point in making¡­love.

    Rayza froze. Is that it? So Linberg wasn¡¯t saying that Ciel was the problem - but her?

    In her pursuit to become a good mother¡­had she neglected to be a good wife?

 Chapter 18 - A step toward reconciliation

    ¡°Mama?¡± Ciel turned around with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Why did¡­you stop?¡±

    ¡°O-oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Rayza chuckled nervously and went back to combing. ¡°Just admiring your hair. It¡¯s so pretty.¡±

    ¡°...it is?¡± Ciel curiously twirled a few strands around her finger. ¡°Why?¡±

    Oh, if only you knew, you sweet child, Rayza thought, sighing. ¡°It¡¯s so soft to the touch, even though we haven¡¯t taken care of it once. And¡­¡± Realising she was fast-tracking her way into more questions that inevitably led into the dreaded ¡®Am I normal?¡¯, Rayza paused briefly. ¡°Yeah. You¡¯ve got some soft and sturdy hair.¡± After running her hand through her own brittle strands, she grimaced. ¡°Probably from your father.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡± Ciel stared at her reflection in the water, then looked back at her. ¡°Is that¡­good?¡±

    ¡°Wha¡­of course it is!¡± Oops. A little loud, that was.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Rayza awkwardly tried to laugh off her outburst. ¡°Pretty hair makes you pretty. And being pretty has many advantages.¡±

    ¡°Advantages¡­like what?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you know. People like pretty people, so they usually get more help.¡± She smiled as she thought back to how she met Ionyr and tricked the butcher. ¡°Also, if you like a boy, it¡¯s easier to make him fall for you. Your father can attest to both of those things.¡±

    Rayza giggled as more fond memories came flooding in. This was oddly refreshing. How long had it been that she could act like a little girl again? To talk about girly things? With all their adventures, there was rarely the time or people around for her to let it out.

    ¡°Fall¡­for me?¡± Ciel stood up and climbed onto the well¡¯s edge. ¡°Like¡­this?¡± She then let herself drop into the water.

    ¡°No!¡± Rayza laughed, pulling her out of the well and sitting her back on the bench. ¡°No, by the Four, no. I meant it more in a figurative sense. Like falling in love.¡±

    ¡°In love?¡± Ciel asked as Rayza combed her wet hair. ¡°Mama, what is love?¡±

    ¡°Love is¡­well¡­¡± Rayza paused, mulling it over for a moment. Was she qualified to talk about this anymore? ¡°Love is¡­when you¡¯re willing to give up everything for someone.¡±

    No, that was too basic, love was far more complex than that¡­oh crap, did she say that out loud? Ciel was giving her a puzzled look. Yeah, she probably did.

    ¡°As in, you can¡¯t imagine life without that person, so you do everything you can for them.¡± Rayza added hastily, with a heavy heart. Big talk, coming from her.

    ¡°Hm.¡± Ciel sat still for a moment, in deep thought. She then turned around and reached for the comb.

    ¡°Oh, you want to try it too?¡± Rayza handed it to her, happy that Ciel didn¡¯t see the nervous wreck her mother was hiding under her smile. ¡°Go for it.¡±

    Ciel inspected the comb from all angles, eventually standing up and grabbing a handful of Rayza¡¯s blonde hair. With sloppy technique, she tried combing through the rough, brittle strands, causing it to get caught on the knots. The sudden pain made Rayza let out a hiss, and Ciel stopped immediately.

    ¡°Mama¡­okay?¡±

    ¡°Y-yeah.¡± Wincing as she pulled the comb out, Rayza gave her a weary smile. ¡°Wasn¡¯t expecting you to just jam it in there.¡±

    Ciel lowered her gaze. ¡°Can¡¯t¡­comb yet. What ¡®everything¡¯...can I do for Mama?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Rayza froze. ¡°Oh Ciel¡­thank you.¡± She couldn¡¯t let her daughter be discouraged - she wouldn¡¯t. Pulling Ciel into a hug, she gave her a peck on the forehead and took the comb from her. ¡°Here, let me teach you.¡±

    Rayza showed Ciel how to use the comb properly, making sure that there were no errant knots in her hair before giving it back. After filling the bucket with water, she soaped her hair

    ¡°You have to clean the hair with soap first, to make sure there¡¯s no dirt in it.¡± She said, sitting back down in front of Ciel, her back turned. ¡°It also makes the strands smooth and makes combing it easier. Go on, give it a go.¡±

    Following her instructions, Ciel slowly and tenderly combed her blonde hair. A few strands did end up in the comb, but the small stings were worth it. Rayza hid her winces well enough to not hinder her daughter¡¯s focus.

    All things considered¡­this was the first step in making Ciel feel love, in a way. Though, then again, wasn¡¯t she just expressing the idea of love that Rayza had taught her? ¡®Give up everything for someone.¡¯ Pretty one-dimensional view of love, all things considered. But it was a start. Baby steps, right?

    Her eyes closed, Rayza began to enjoy the sensation of the comb moving through her hair. The movements were clumsy at first, but quickly became more refined. It felt like her hair was healing from months of wear and tear. She really had to take better care of it, she thought as she twirled a few strands around her finger.

    ¡°Mama?¡± A small voice interrupted her musing.

    ¡°Yes, dear?¡± Rayza replied, looking back over her shoulder.

    ¡°Why do I want a boy¡­to fall in love?¡±

    Uh oh. Danger zone. Nope. Nuh-uh. Not her baby. Not now, not ever. Too soon. Way too soon.

    ¡°Erm¡­reasons.¡± She sputtered, before burying her face in her palm. Great job, Rayza. Fantastic, even.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Ciel said blankly. ¡°Okay.¡±

    Huh. That worked?

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    Damn it.

    ¡°Why¡­need another boy to fall in love? Papa moves mountains¡­for me.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± She hoped that was true. ¡°Yes, he would. But¡­¡± She paused and shook her head before turning around and hugging Ciel. ¡°Nevermind. You¡¯ll learn when you get older. For now, let¡¯s get out of the bath.¡±

    Ciel tilted her head. ¡°But¡­not finished cleaning.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rayza raised an eyebrow as her daughter reached for the bar of soap and headed for the well.

    Ciel proceeded to take a large bite out of the fruity soap and dunk her head underwater.

    ¡°Ciel! Stop eating the soap!¡± Rayza ran over, pulling her head out of the well and taking the soap from her.

    ¡°But¡­.¡± Ciel said, bubbles foaming up from her stomach. ¡°How do I clean¡­inside?¡±

    Rayza groaned and put the soap aside. ¡°You know, for how smart you are, sometimes¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°Well, now we really do have to clean your insides. Can¡¯t have people seeing you like this.¡±

    ¡°Like what?¡± Ciel tilted her head, a bit of foam dripping off her chin and falling to the ground.

    ¡°That.¡± Rayza ran her thumb and across her daughter¡¯s lip and showed her the foam she wiped off. ¡°You¡¯re not clean until we¡¯ve gotten rid of every last bit of soap.¡±

    ¡°But doesn¡¯t soap make you clean?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­yes.¡± Rayza groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. ¡°But until you wash off the soap, it hasn¡¯t done its job. You¡¯re not clean until we¡¯ve washed it all away.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡± Ciel opened her mouth and gathered some bubbles in her hand. She watched as they slowly shrunk and disappeared. ¡°Cleaning¡­complicated.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my dear daughter.¡± Rayza patted Ciel¡¯s head. ¡°We¡¯re still on the easy part. Just wait till we get to emotions. Apparently, not even I have figured those out yet. How will I ever teach you¡­?¡± Rayza sighed and filled the bucket with fresh water.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ciel. You¡¯ll get used to it, like I did. Look, I¡¯ll show you how to clean your mouth.¡± She paused, then smiled as she lightly pinched Ciel¡¯s cheek. ¡°But please don¡¯t eat the soap next time.¡±

    <hr>

    After making sure that every last bit of foam had been washed out, Rayza took Ciel and quickly got the both of them dressed in their borrowed sleeping gowns. As thrilled as she was to see her baby in the cute new outfit, she was in a hurry to get back to their room. For one, to avoid any stray customers that might head in.

    And two, she needed to speak with Linberg again. Her hunch¡­Rayza had to know if she was right.

    While heading back to their room, she noted that there was still no one behind the counter. Weird. Linberg¡¯s son never took this long on his errands. Where was he? Just another thing to ask their hostess, she supposed.

    Knocking on the door to their room, she briefly waited for Ionyr¡¯s response. But none came. She opened it, and found the room empty. Seriously? He wasn¡¯t back either? Who could she leave Ciel with while she spoke with Linberg? It¡¯s not like she could just leave her alone.

    Or¡­could she? There was no one she could trust to watch over her, really. And their room was as cut off from the outside as could be. So, reasonably¡­Ciel should be safe here. Still, she felt unsure about it. An intense fear of leaving her baby alone, out of her sight.

    Should she just wait for Ionyr to be done? He wouldn¡¯t be gone for that long, right? But this uneasiness she felt¡­she needed answers now.

    Perhaps this was the step she had to take. This intense attachment, if she was right, was what caused her marriage to deteriorate in the first place. And the only way to start fixing it¡­was to talk to Linberg. She seemed to know what was going on.

    Rayza led Ciel over to their bed, unbearably nervous, then lifted her onto the edge and kneeled down.

    ¡°Ciel, Mama needs to go out for a bit. Can you wait here for me?¡± Ciel nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t leave the room.¡± She nodded again. ¡°If someone besides me or Papa comes in, scream, and I¡¯ll come running.¡± Another nod. ¡°And¡­¡±

    Rayza sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. There was nothing else she could tell her, really - nothing that could ease the fear any more than this. She just had to take the leap. Right then. She opened her eyes, smiling. ¡°Stay safe, dear.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°Right. Okay.¡± Rayza stood up and headed out the door. Before she closed it, she looked back one last time. Ciel was still on the bed, idly swinging her legs, staring back at her. She closed the door slowly, the uneasiness rising. The lock clicked into place as she shut the door. Rayza let go of a breath she didn¡¯t know she was holding. She felt like she was stepping on air - better hurry. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Rayza quickly made her way into the reception area, where Linberg was sweeping the floor. She gave her a short sideways glance before going back to cleaning.

    ¡°Hey.¡± Rayza said awkwardly. ¡°Can we talk?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Linberg turned to face her with an unpleasant expression. ¡°Can we?¡±

    Yeah¡­should¡¯ve expected that. Better not beat around the bush.

    ¡°About those things you said. I thought about it¡­and you may be right.¡± Rayza bit her lip. ¡°I need some advice.¡±

    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Linberg leaned on the broom and raised an eyebrow. ¡°I think you¡¯ll manage just fine without.¡±

    ¡°Look, I-¡± Rayza paused, and Linberg took the opportunity to go back to sweeping. After inhaling deeply and swallowing her pride, she cast her gaze to the floor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Hm? What¡¯s that?¡± The old lady turned around, placing her hand behind her ear. ¡°I didn¡¯t quite hear that, dear.¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°I said I¡¯m sorry.¡± Rayza said through grit teeth.

    ¡°One more time. My ears aren¡¯t what they used to be.¡± Linberg wasn¡¯t even trying to hide her cheeky grin.

    ¡°Fuck off.¡±

    ¡°Oh, if that¡¯s so¡­¡± Linberg went back to cleaning.

    ¡°I said I¡¯m sorry, okay!? Stop it with these games!¡±

    ¡°Ah, there she is. The Rayza I know and love.¡± Linberg laughed and walked over, pinching Rayza¡¯s cheek. ¡°You¡¯re adorable.¡±

    ¡°Knock it off.¡± Rayza grumpily pulled away the old woman¡¯s hand. ¡°Can you help me now?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Linberg leaned the broom against the wall and beckoned her behind the counter. ¡°Come, I¡¯ve prepared some tea for us. Wouldn¡¯t want any prying eyes or ears for this, right?¡± She gave Rayza a wink.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Rayza nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°No need.¡± Linberg said, leading her to the kitchen. ¡°As I said before, you are one of my best customers. Like a daughter to me, really.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Rayza quietly said as she took a seat. Her heart fluttered slightly at those words, she had to admit.

    ¡°It¡¯s a shame.¡± Thankfully, Linberg was too busy pouring their porcelain cups with tea to notice. Or tactful enough to act like she didn¡¯t hear. ¡°You and my son are the same age. Would¡¯ve made for a great daughter-in-law. Oh well.¡± The lady handed her a cup before sipping on her own. ¡°I guess Ionyr is a good second choice.¡±

    ¡°About that.¡± Rayza idly stirred her tea to cool it off. ¡°Where is he? I haven¡¯t seen him all day.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s left on a pilgrimage to the north.¡± Linberg said solemnly. ¡°There was nothing left for him here, he said. Was time to leave the nest and forge his own path.¡± Sighing, she leaned back in her chair. ¡°And here I wanted to have him inherit the inn as well.¡± She sighed. ¡°Had to hire some outside help because of it.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Rayza stared at the steam rising from her cup. ¡°Pilgrimage, huh¡­? Heh, just like ¡®Firemane¡¯s great knight¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Yes, exactly like that. I don''t care much for that mocking tone, dear.¡± Linberg glared.

    ¡°Ah. Sorry.¡± Right. To the people of the north, the pilgrimage is truly a sacred thing. She tended to forget that when most people she spoke with held nothing but contempt for the Ashen Order and its ways. ¡°You miss him, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Linberg nodded, casting her gaze out the window and toward the night sky. ¡°I wonder how he¡¯s doing. His ship should be leaving port right about now.¡± She gripped the cup tightly. ¡°He¡¯s not the first, and won¡¯t be the last to make this journey. Yet, I can¡¯t help but worry.¡±

    ¡°I feel you.¡± Rayza nodded upon seeing Linberg¡¯s raised eyebrow. ¡°Really, I do. I¡¯m worried sick about Ciel, and she¡¯s just sitting in a room down the hall.¡± She chuckled dryly. ¡°Pathetic, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Linberg laughed and set down her cup. ¡°Oh dear, you remind me of myself. During my son¡¯s youngest years, I was ever the worrywart. Whenever he was out of my sight, I was left with a knot in my stomach. Just like my husband always¡­¡± She paused, before continuing in a less jovial tone. ¡°My husband always told me to let go a little. Let the kid explore and grow on his own.¡±

    Rayza listened intently, sipping on her tea. Come to think of it, Linberg had never told her what happened to her husband. Looking out the window with sorrow-filled eyes, Linberg let out a deep sigh. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Rayza said, breaking the silence. ¡°I know it¡¯s not my place to ask, but...¡±

    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s alright.¡± The old lady smiled, glowing with regretful nostalgia. ¡°I think now would be a good time for you to hear it.¡± After sipping on her tea, she turned back to Rayza and continued with a longing, wistful tone. ¡°My husband and I had¡­problems when it came to raising our son. When imagining our dream life together, our visions differed. Or maybe¡­¡± She idly tapped her cup on the table, thinking. ¡°Maybe there were no differences, but we simply weren¡¯t able to live our shared vision properly.¡±

    ¡°Sounds familiar.¡± Rayza thought back to their argument in the forest.

    ¡°We began having small squabbles, misunderstandings. Over time they grew larger and larger, until the differences became too big to ignore, and we had a big fight.¡± Linberg lowered her gaze. ¡°I didn¡¯t know it back then¡­at that moment, I lost him forever.¡±

    A long, uncomfortable silence filled the room. Rayza fidgeted in her seat.

    ¡°Lost¡­?¡± She asked awkwardly, trailing off on a note of uncertainty.

    ¡°After that fight, he lost the light in his eyes. He stopped trying to raise our son with me, and left it entirely to me.¡± She sighed. ¡°From that day onward, my¡­our sweet child soured our marriage. He became a reason for us to renounce our shared passion.¡± After a brief, pensive pause, she shook her head.

    ¡°No, an excuse. We used him as an excuse - ¡®for his sake¡¯, we stopped pursuing each other, loving each other. First our nights became cold, then the house, then finally our hearts.¡± She gulped down the last bit of tea in her cup. ¡°And that¡¯s how our marriage died. Not with a bang, but with a small sputter of a flame, extinguished by an errant gust. He rode that gust out of town, leaving to chase another dream.¡±

    Rayza sat staring at her tea, absorbing and mulling over Linberg¡¯s story. It hit horrifically close to home. Almost beat for beat, she made the same mistakes as the older lady. ¡°Are you saying¡­he¡¯ll leave me?¡± She asked quietly. ¡°I rejected his advances too¡­¡±

    ¡°Dear.¡± Linberg reached over and took her hand. ¡°If he made an advance, that means there is still a spark left. It will take effort, but you can reignite it. After all,¡± she smiled, ¡°that idiot is head over heels for you.¡±

    ¡°But¡­that was so long ago. A month, almost.¡± Rayza nervously traced the edge of the cup with her index finger. ¡°Do you think there¡¯s still a chance?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Only he can answer that.¡± She nodded toward the door, left slightly ajar. ¡°Go now.¡±

    ¡°I¡­I will.¡± Rayza stood up and walked to the door with strong, determined steps. She flung it open, but hesitated before stepping through. ¡°Say, Linberg.¡± Glancing over her shoulder, she found the hardy old woman looking back. ¡°About that thing I said yesterday¡­¡±

    ¡°I often asked myself the same question.¡± Linberg poured herself another cup of tea. ¡°I made my son lose his father. I wanted to keep him close, locked in his nest. Almost forced him down a life path he didn¡¯t want to go down. All because of my own worries that I couldn¡¯t let go of.¡± Smiling, she opened one of the jars on the table and stirred some honey into her drink.

    ¡°Your fierce protectiveness¡­your overwhelming worries¡­they¡¯re proof, Rayza. You sre a real mother.¡±

    ¡°...thank you.¡± Rayza said, choking slightly as she held back a tear.

    ¡°Now, go to your husband..¡± Linberg shooed her away. ¡°Learn from my story and save your marriage.¡±

    ¡°I will.¡± Rayza stepped through the door with renewed resolve. ¡°Thank you, Linberg.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s probably done with his bath by now.¡± She thought, walking around the counter and heading toward their room. As she approached the bend in the hallway, the sound of footsteps reached her ears. ¡°Perfect timing.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Io-¡± She said, rounding the corner.

    ¡°Eep!¡±

    Hm, Ionyr looked a little different than usual. Kind of girly, actually. Long, well-kept hair. Cutesy voice. Young. Nice curves. Yeah, no. This wasn¡¯t Ionyr.

    ¡°Who¡¯re you?¡± Rayza asked. ¡°Never seen you here before.¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m Hilda.¡± She said, giving a quick bow. ¡°Linberg hired me to fill in for her son.¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡± True, Linberg did mention that. Honestly, good practice to hire this one. Probably brought all the boys to the yard¡­though there weren¡¯t any here right now, surprisingly.

    ¡°W-what about you, miss? Are you a guest¡­?¡± Hilda asked timidly.

    Rayza nodded. ¡°Yeah. Looking for my husband.¡±

    ¡°Your husband¡­?¡± Hilda''s eyes widened. ¡°A-are you talking about Ionyr?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Seen him anywhere?¡±

    ¡°I-I believe he¡¯s still bathing.¡± Hilda gave another bow. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me¡­¡±

    ¡°One moment.¡± Rayza placed a hand on the girl''s shoulder. ¡°You seem awfully sweaty there, Hilda. Why is that?¡±

    She quickly wiped away some of the cold sweat gathering on her forehead. ¡°O-oh, I just got done cleaning the women''s bath. That''s why.¡±

    ¡°You don''t say.¡± Rayza gave her another glare, causing Hilda to uncomfortably fidget. Maybe she was being overly harsh on the poor girl. A little shifty and timid, but that might just be her age. Rayza sighed and let go. ¡°Alright, go on.¡±

    Hilda smiled nervously before hurrying past her. Something off about that one. Though, Rayza had to admit, she was a little biased. Cute, curvy and perfectly maintained hair - that girl was almost obnoxiously feminine, in many ways that she struggled to be.

    It did poke at her pride as a woman. Just a little.

    A set of footsteps, this one far heavier, shook her from her thoughts. Ah, finally. The man of her dreams, the one she¡¯d been waiting for.

    ¡°There you are.¡± Rayza said, turning to face him. ¡°Been waiting for you.¡±

    ¡°You have¡­?¡± Ionyr mumbled, staggering down the hallway in his borrowed night robe. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡±

    Something was off about him. He was avoiding eye contact with her still, and he was incredibly sweaty and looked flushed.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Rayza approached him, but he backed away. Concerned, she stepped closer. ¡°What''s wrong?¡±

    ¡°N-nothing.¡± He took another step back, uneasily glancing back at the bath entrance before shoving his hands in his pockets. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± He trailed off, before raising an eyebrow. ¡°Hold on, where''s Ciel? Who¡¯d you leave her with?¡±

    ¡°No, please.¡± Rayza insisted, grabbing his hand before he could back away again. ¡°Tell me if you''re okay.¡±

    He looked into her eyes, for the first in a long time. She saw doubt in them, guilt, shame¡­and fear. Eventually, they softened, and he stepped into her arms and wrapped his around her.

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m fine.¡± Ionyr patted her back. ¡°Just¡­got a lot on my mind.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to¡­¡± Rayza stopped and shook her head. ¡°No, we should talk about it. And we will.¡±

    ¡°What about Ciel?¡± His voice cracked a little. ¡°I don''t think she should hear this.¡±

    ¡°I''ll find a way.¡± She pulled away and smiled proudly. ¡°I''ve already been away from her for a while now.¡±

    Ionyr laughed dryly. ¡°Well, that''s good to hear. Let''s talk tomorrow, then. Want to clear my head a little, first¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow. No more secrets, alright?¡± Rayza pressed her lips to his cheek and nestled her head into his neck. ¡°I''m sure you need a gentle breeze to blow your worries away.¡± As she whispered into his ear, she could feel his heartbeat quickening and the hair on the back of his neck bristle.

    ¡°You have no idea¡­¡± He mumbled, hugging her tightly. ¡°Thanks, Rayza.¡±

    ¡°No problem.¡± She remained still, letting him enjoy this long overdue moment of closeness. ¡°Come on.¡± Scratching the back of his head, she loosened her grip. ¡°Let''s go to bed. Ciel is waiting.¡±

    ¡°Yes, let''s.¡± Ionyr replied as he pulled out of their hug, and she finally saw him smile again - maybe not as brightly as he used to, but it was genuine at the least. Of that, she was certain. They headed back to their room, and Rayza paused as she stared at the doorknob.

    Would Ciel be there?

    After taking a deep breath, she yanked the door open, and Ciel¡­

    Rayza sighed in relief. She was still there, thank the Four. Idly dangling her feet, and moving her mouth in odd ways, as if she were struggling to pronounce a complicated word.

    ¡°Hey Ciel.¡± Rayza sat by her and smiled. ¡°Thanks for waiting.¡±

    Ciel closed her mouth and stared at Rayza briefly, then at Ionyr. She tilted her head and hopped off the bed, approaching Ionyr with a curious expression. He fidgeted slightly as she stood before him and looked him in the eye.

    ¡°Everything alright?¡± He asked, laughing nervously.

    Ciel shook her head, then made a step forward, tentatively holding up a hand, then grabbing onto his shirt. ¡°Papa¡­¡± She said, her voice monotone as ever, looking up at him. ¡°Don¡¯t leave.¡±

    Rayza clasped a hand over her mouth. Did¡­did Ciel hear everything? Damn these thin walls! This was exactly why she didn¡¯t want her to know! Rayza¡¯s mistakes and burdens were hers, and hers alone - now Ciel had to bear that load as well.

    The image of her father, drunk and broken, appeared before her eyes, as well as Linberg, sad and alone in her big, empty home. Shaking her head frantically, Rayza stood up. No, she thought, never. Never would she make those same mistakes. She refused to.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Ionyr said, his eyes and voice softening as he ruffled Ciel¡¯s hair. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± He glanced at Rayza, smiling. ¡°Why would I? I¡¯ve got everything I need¡­¡± He trailed off, his eyes vacant.

    ¡°Really?¡± Ciel asked, looking at him, and he gave an absent-minded nod in response. ¡°Mama?¡± She turned to Rayza.

    ¡°Yes, really.¡± Rayza positioned herself between them, then stood up on her tiptoes and pecked Ionyr on the cheek. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure of it.¡± She added, turning her back to her daughter to hide her seductive smile from her. Ionyr¡¯s eyes widened when he saw it, and she could swear she saw a hint of red on his cheeks.

    Oh, how the tables have turned.

    ¡°!¡± Ciel suddenly raised her arms, looking intently at Ionyr.

    ¡°Want me to pick you up?¡± He asked, causing her to nod. With a genuine chuckle, he bent down and heaved her up. ¡°Well? What now, princess?¡±

    Ciel opened and closed her mouth a few more times before nodding and pressing her lips against his cheek. After pulling away, she nodded, seemingly satisfied. ¡°So¡­this sound¡­¡±

    ¡°Wait, wha-¡± Ionyr¡¯s mouth hung agape as he struggled to comprehend.

    ¡°That¡¯s a kiss, Ciel.¡± Rayza ignored Ionyr and lovingly ruffled her daughter¡¯s hair. She wanted to squeal so badly, but she didn¡¯t want to interrupt the moment.

    ¡°Kiss?¡± Ciel looked at her curiously.

    ¡°I feel like we skipped a few steps here¡­¡± Ionyr tried to interject.

    Rayza nodded at Ciel¡¯s question. ¡°You only give someone a kiss when they mean everything to you.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡± Ciel replied, her voice monotone. ¡°So¡­a kiss¡­is to show love?¡±

    ¡°Mind filling me in?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡± Rayza was getting a good kick out of this - she couldn¡¯t help but giggle at Ionyr¡¯s confounded expression.

    ¡°Lots of kisses¡­mean lots of love?¡± She looked at Ionyr, and his demeanour shifted instantly.

    ¡°...yes.¡± He said, his voice quiet. Glancing at Rayza, he nodded, slowly at first, then more surely. ¡°Yes, exactly.¡±

    Rayza felt a pang of guilt as an uncomfortable silence filled the room. It was true - she hadn¡¯t given him enough kisses as of late. It was time for her to make up for that lost time.

    ¡°I suggest we head to bed.¡±

    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s.¡± Ionyr replied, bending over to let Ciel down, but she held on tightly to his shirt and shook her head.

    ¡°Wanna sleep with Papa?¡± Rayza asked, and she nodded. She looked at Ionyr, and he nodded along.

    ¡°Fine by me. I¡¯ve been meaning to tell you some stories, anyway.¡± While his voice cracked and bended, she could tell that at least, the second half was true.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Rayza yawned, the exhaustion of the steam bath finally kicking in. ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave you to it. Because I am well and truly pooped.¡± She walked over to the bed and let herself fall onto the divinely soft covers. After all these months of travel, these mattresses were truly a godsend.

    ¡°Don¡¯t wake me up unless it¡¯s an emergency.¡± She said, voice muffled by the pillow.

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Ionyr replied, clearing his throat as he sat on the other bed. ¡°Once upon a time¡­¡±

    Rayza¡¯s eyes fell shut before she knew it. Tomorrow, she thought as she drifted to sleep, this whole drama would blow over. Her dream, her perfect family would not be broken apart by her own mistake, she would make sure of that.

    Unfortunately, she was in for a most rude awakening.