#i went outside and touched grass for this one :3c

[jennablackmorebooks]

💜🦋~

[fly-sky-high-bug-games]

Hi! I saw you answer an ask about your OC Alyssum and I was instantly pulled in. I went to your list of muses to go read some stuff on her but the link isn't working for some reason. Care to share? 😁 also what other hcs do you have about her (optional w/mugo) 👀

I THINK THAT’S MY FAULT, I keep tagging her as available muse but she’s technically listed as “npc” on the muse post because I didn’t want to introduce her yet (so far story wise, she only appears through dialog and hasn’t popped out yet, hard since she’s at Highgrove and setting is in Hallownest). However, her muse has been... oddly strong lately, I keep drawing and doing tiny rp scenes with her with few friends just to test the waters with her and BOY IT’S KIND OF... INTERESTING.

She might be “oopsie haha murder” kind of character but she’s also playing the nobility part quite well. She’s “polite”, invites bugs for a tea, a little chatter (maybe even a friendly one, she’s capable of it), possibly propositions, no refusal, nice job offers~ or death. One always gets to choose, acting like they have an option but forcefully narrows it to few and plays on mental and emotional state at such circumstances. Tricky~

I have yet to develop the details of her faction and who’s in it but very few people will be. Wasps I already covered, I just have to work around clan leader that’s in contact with Alyssum. Others would be black market dealers (lead merchant), underground snail-mail (postal snail), one of the weavers who’s good with seals and couple of others~ I need to brainstorm on this still. :0

Damn, I already rambled about this and didn’t talk about her much, hold on *throws Alyss tidbits under read more if tumblr allows it to work...*

She was looked after by Magnolia and basically raised by her, some time after she turned to be a queen. Fun tidbits about Magnolia family as a whole, they are not related to one another (mostly) but consider themselves a big family because they took down the previous queen and king of Highgrove while raising from poverty. However, Magnolia and her followers were never kind and forgiving, but with promises that there will be change in balance of the hierarchy, they got a lot of followers and supporters from commoners to usurp the royalty and did so successfully.

Alyssum was young when this happened so while she was somewhat birthed under poverty, she was fully raised as a noble. I don’t have much of her childhood worked out but there isn’t much to say aside from that she was raised and thought under the cruel but rich conditions of the kingdom.

The binding seal on her wings she earned not long before she met Mugo, almost like a sign for maturity and set under higher position in the family and not just as a student. The seals are powerful magic that uses soul, sewed in with magic by the weaver and afterwards trained to use it. It manifests through the shape of petals: swirling, cutting, chipping, slashing or severing, depending on the number of petals created, used, how fast, how they’re choreographed... It’s all soul but she can use regular flower petals that make less damage but not much soul required. Alyss can also use the wings as a shield since the binding is right on them and actually getting through them with anything is worse than trying to cut the metal open. (like, I imagined in game moves, if you know how THK blocks twice then slashes, she does similar things with wings, where she blocks two times but then bursts open the wings to blow the opponent back to the other side of the screen)

But you know, she’s a lady~ Of course she won’t get her hands dirty. :3c She has others to do that for her~

As for her and Mugo... (OH BOY HERE WE GOOOO~!)

I have to say, their relationship and love was rather genuine, it kind of makes me sad it ended up the way it did... With Magnolia, Alyss (and even Zeeke and his family) still visiting Hallownest some time before Pure Vessel was sealed and before infection went crazy (I canonize, by human years, that that was 20ish years before current events, since Hornet seems 15-18ish years old but who knows with bugs~ I just needed approximate idea for the setting). They were at City of tears but Mugo met her somewhere close to it, as she was hiding away from the nobles to explore the outside on her own and spotted Mugo.

Sure, Mugo crushed on her first but when she tested him by giving away her symbol necklace and pedant of White Magnolia for him to sell at black market and get good money, he refused because it was a memento from someone dear to him. It still is... he didn’t take it off because this is when their love was true and pure... Alyss never forget that either. It was very touching to her.

Their relationship was fine, both shared nothing in common but that was such a fun time for both because of it. They were clicking because they were like two different puzzles pieces that do fit together... but sadly, the pieces didn’t give the right picture when one by the other. (don’t you hate when this happens when you’re trying to puzzle grass or sky together?? *shot*) 

Alyssum explained to Mugo how Magnolia works. He didn’t like it one bit, as he ran away from Highgrove partially because they usurped the old rulers and rendered his family’s status almost homeless. Meanwhile, Alyss didn’t like that Mugo kept throwing himself in danger for his job, even if it’s a hobby that means a lot to him, all for sake of survival and geo.

They dated for some time, had fun, but slowly things started kind of... falling apart. The closer Alyss was to heading back to Highgrove the more she pressured Mugo to come with, become part of the family and live with her under riches the Magnolia offers. His counter proposal was, if they’re really in love and she is aware of Magnolia’s wrongdoings, that she would leave them instead and live with him while making the adventures she loved hearing about from him, together. Basically, Mugo put his love for her over riches or anything but Alyss wanted him for herself under the comfort and safety of Magnolia. She couldn’t throw that away, not after building the status and becoming a favorite to Magnolia herself. She thought this was selfish of Mugo but Mugo tried to explain it was for her changing a new leaf and starting over as something good, not ruled by fear and power.

So they started to disagree... argue... and finally physically fight. Of course, Alyss won. Mugo isn’t a fighter. At that moment, it was either she has him or no one does. For Mugo, he could only bark threats. So he did, angered, throwing words he couldn’t even imagine himself doing. When she lighted up her wings, he threatened he will cut them off. So in retribution, she cut him, scaring his face. He saw something or someone completely different then. Mugo ran for his life, leaving Alyss alone.

That was the last time they saw each other, 20ish years ago. Mugo hid away at the lake of Unn and suffered depression and withdrawal for a very long time. As for Alyss... she pulled off something she shouldn’t and Mugo didn’t know about...

He only got one last letter from her, to met her one more time at the Crossroads before she leaves for Highgrove, saying she wants to try one more time and... that she had a surprise for him. He didn’t respond. She waited for him there then left when he never showed...

That was that. :U Until now, at least~ :3 She got to hear about her ex thanks to Zeeke’s shenanigans at the Colosseum~ Oh, what are the odds of the noble meeting and having issues specifically with a certain, scruffy moth~

20 years is quite a bit of time for someone with a heartbreak and power to grow... kind of crazy. Of course she never let go of it. And now she knows he’s still alive too~ Wonder what Alyss will do. :3c

[mamichigo]

[Fic] to be encased in ice (to be consumed by fire) [kagehina]

Characters: Kageyama Tobio, Hinata Shouyou Rating: G Word count: 3,687 Tags: Fairy Tale Elements, Magic, Fantasy, Poetic Summary: Deep, deep below the surface, away from the common eye, there rested the imprisoned body of Kageyama Tobio. And there, where the ice was thick and impossible to break, Hinata Shouyou burned him out of his cage. A/N: Written for the Haikyuu Secret Santa, by @supern-a-vengers​. A gift for my himbo friend @sevensus​. Can you believe I actually got you? I know you’re already screaming at me for this, but here’s a second wish that you’ll enjoy it :3c 

*

The first glimpse he caught of Hinata Shouyou was through a solid sheet of ice, with eyes frozen open by the gelid water of the lake his body was trapped in, meters upon meters below the surface.

It was around the last week of summer—he could tell from the way the flowers grew shier, smaller, and even the forever frozen lake became colder with the blow of the wind. The sun had been hiding behind dark clouds for three days now, and Tobio watched with his paralyzed limbs. He had watched the shift of seasons more times than he could count, but each time Tobio missed the light of the sun, the only time he could pretend to feel warmth on his fingertips.

It wouldn't be longer now, till all the greenery died away. Tobio exhaled a sigh, but his breath got lost in his lung, unable to even come out.

It was then, as the carbon dioxide turned into cutting icicles, that Tobio saw a figure, the bright orange of it making him wonder if Summer had been prolonged after all. He had been short on miracles for the entirety of his lifetime, but Tobio was willing to hope he'd be granted a blessing this once.

The figure drew closer, fire dancing on the ice, approaching like a comet descending onto the unforgived earth. Tobio didn't bother fighting, even if his legs attempted to move entirely on instinct—not even a twitch was felt. The fire spread as it touched the surface, not like flame on wood, but like serpents withering with confident slides, squirming into the cracks, widening it, forcing it open. He heard the ice splinter for the very first time in what was probably decades, then collapse entirely to fall onto him, around him, down into the water in sinking pieces.

The fire didn't stop there, surrounding him as the ice fell, warming his muscles, urging them to move, to go, to rise. And when he reached a hand for the flame, it moved, and it burned his fingertips, licked by the flames. The water, too, unfroze, and entered his lungs as he inhaled sharply, but Tobio kicked his legs nonetheless, fighting to get to the surface.

Tobio broke from his icy cave shivering, coughing, and almost vomiting, holding on to drifting ice platforms with weakened fingers, but with the strength of someone given the chance to live again.

Hinata Shouyou, as Tobio would learn the owner of flames was named, was no longer anywhere to be seen.

*

It was an odd feeling, realizing how the world had shifted around him. From beneath the ice, it all had seemed the same: the sky, the forest, the grass, the rocks. It was a cycle ingrained into his mind, one that reassured him there was still a reality out there that he was familiar with.

But the people, the city... They were different. Everyone walked around in strange, exaggerated clothes, flaunting something that Tobio didn't quite grasp what it was. Their speech, too, had a different intonation, one Tobio could hardly recognize as his own language. Entire cities had fallen, only for new ones to rise; different reigns, rules, laws, different coin.

Tobio wandered through the crowds, more lost than happy. More hollow than fulfilled, even when he was out of his cage. He wrapped himself in thick furs, gritting his teeth as the cold slowly creeped in. If he ever got distracted, too lost in his own thoughts, Tobio could feel the frost at his ankles, his wrists, his neck.

Eventually, he had to give up on his walks entirely, instead finding an old, abandoned house, with creaky floors and a collapsed roof. There, he could light a fire, curl up next to it and, wrapped in five blankets or more, focus only on keeping his blood circulating, keep the oxygen in his lungs.

Every night, he wondered, though not for long, what he should do now that he was free. Outside, the rain slowly but steadily turned into snow.

*

It was almost a full month later, when his body became significantly harder to move in, that Tobio returned to the lake. His coat had stopped providing warmth only a week in, but he still buried his face in the fur, obscuring his features. It did a good job of protecting his skin from the cutting wind, at least, and that was already enough to him.

He stepped onto the makeshift rink, sliding a few centimeters closer to the center. Then, he took a few cautious steps, one after the other, each one echoing in the same rhythm of his breathing. Cracks formed as he went along even before he stepped on the ice, following him rather than being created by him. Tobio frowned down at it, but trudged on with confidence, despite the heaviness of his limbs. At times, he was sure he would sink, just an anchor at sea, but he remained stubbornly on top of the ice, and not under it.

When he reached the center, so did the cracks, and they parted in an unnatural way, forming a perfect circle just a step away from him. Tobio took an instinctive step back, though his body leaned forward, towards the call of the water below. The wind knocked at his ankles, propelling him forward, but his feet were planted to the ice. Tobio breathed in, breathed out, and shivered inside his furs.

The minutes passed by, but the sun did not come out. For all Tobio knew, it could've been hours, and he would be unable to tell the difference. The glow of it was lost, had been for as long as he had been awake—at the end, it didn't feel like he had left his cage at all.

Tobio looked up, to the horizon, just in time to see an orange glow at the edge of it. He strained his eyes against the disorienting white surface of the ice and snow to try and focus on the image, but his eyes stung until it watered, and the tears were frozen before they could fully form.

Uncertain, Tobio searched for the sky, where he could still see the faint presence of the sun, discarding the silly idea that the star had fallen from its resting place. The notion did serve a purpose, however, as Tobio remembered thinking of an approaching before, too recent to be a mere coincidence.

Once the silhouette had come closer, Tobio could see more of it, though the image didn't become less baffling even then. He saw bare feet, padding silently on the frozen passage, leaving wisps of smoke where it touched the surface. He saw pale skin that twinkled in gold hues, and a mess of shockful orange hair. But more importantly, he saw wings. Not just wing, but ones made of fire, burning in orange like the color of the person's hair, clumps of it falling off like feathers, except they burned through everything around, even the impenetrable ice below them, sinking right to the bottom.

Tobio's instinct was to turn away to leave, to run in the opposite direction, away from whoever approached so calmly when they were quite literally burning the ground they stood on.

But there was a warmth in the air, a heat that simmered and hung heavy, the taste of it on his lips. He reached a hand towards it, just as the person stopped before him, on the other side of the circular opening that separated them. Tobio pulled his hand right back, frowned. His suspicion overrode the longing to put his fingers in the fire, even as the frost rising up his arms fell away like powder.

"Who are you?" Tobio rumbled, steady and cold like the lake.

The person tilted their head at him. Amber eyes glimmered as they smiled. "I'm Hinata Shouyou, nice to meet you!" Tobio narrowed his eyes, unwilling to return the favor; he only glared. Seeming to understand his train of thought, Hinata grinned wider. "And you're Kageyama Tobio, right?"

His frown deepened and his fists clenched, body language rigid, defensive. "Why do you know my name?"

"I just happened to hear about it," Hinata said dismissively. "This is where you were dropped, right into the lake. I heard about that, too."

Tobio had to swallow his own words at least three times to control himself and the violence that fought to get out. "That day, a month ago," he said instead. "It was you who freed me." Hinata opened his mouth, but Tobio growled low in his throat. "And don't try to deny it."

Hinata raised his hands in a show of innocence, and Tobio scoffed in reaction. "Why?"

Hinata hummed in a way that indicated he was thinking on his answer. At the end, he shrugged. "There were so many tales about a powerful magic user trapped at the bottom of a lake, I just..." He made a vague hand gesture. "I wanted to check it out for myself."

"That's all?"

Hinata nodded. "That's all."

Tobio gritted his teeth hard enough for his jaw to ache, for his nerves to protest. His shivering body spammed violently and he lurched forward, staying on the very edge of the opening in the ice. The whispering from it got louder, but he ignored its calls.

"Is this some kind of joke to you?" Tobio asked in a strained voice.

"What does that mean?"

"This-" he pointed to the lake, to the still water just waiting for them to fall in- "is a prison! I was captured and threw into this... This frigid hell!"

Tobio circled around the opening, approaching Hinata, who watched him with calculating eyes, but he did not back away.

"I wasn't even given the right to rot like a normal person!" He yelled, voice tore out of his throat. "You come here and free me, only for what? Your sick curiosity?"

Tobio got a hold of the top of Hinata's shirt and pulled him up and closer, his feet dragging on the ice with the motion. "Do you think I'm a pet for you to watch doing silly tricks?"

There was no trace of the carefree smile Hinata had showcased before, his eyes darker.

"Why were you thrown into the lake, Kageyama Tobio?"

"I was too dangerous."

Hinata clicked his tongue, clearly dissatisfied with the answer. "What was so great about your magic that had you imprisoned here?"

"I have the power to absorb."

Hinata laughed. "Absorb?" He snorted, drawling out the word like Tobio had just told a joke. Tobio wasn't moved by the display, and soon the smile fell again. "That doesn't make any sense. Absorb what?"

"Anything. Elements, magic, auras, feelings, thoughts." The fist he still had on Hinata's clothing shifted, knuckles grazing his collarbones. "Life."

Hinata's eyes went wide at the same time his wings flared up, the movement making several clumps of fire fall off in Tobio's direction, hitting his hands, his cheek and his neck. He let go and backed away more out of instinct than out of fear, or discomfort. More frost fell from his body, bit by bit.

"That reaction," Tobio pointed out, nonplussed by the ordeal. "That exactly."

Hinata breathed heavily, touching the point where Tobio's finger made contact, like he was looking for an injury there. Tobio scoffed.

"Hinata Shouyou," he said, and Hinata snapped to attention. "Thank you for freeing me. Do not come find me again."

*

Fall had been hard on his body, but Winter had him wishing to be buried in freezing water again, where his limbs, even his heart, had been numb, unaware of pain, of anything else other than enclosing cold.

Tobio knew this was an effect of the time he spent in the lake, merging with it like wearing a second skin. He could feel its whispers, deep into the night, always the loudest when the moon was high in the sky and the wind was howling. He felt the ice circulating, taking, growing along his limbs, his veins, his organs, the frost becoming thin sheets of ice. Sometimes, when his skull felt like it was being compressed and he was almost delirious with the thoughts that swarmed his head, Tobio felt like he could tilt his face to the side and watch water pour out from inside himself.

Even if he lied on fire, his skin remained cold, pale, almost blue. These days, he looked more like a specter than a human.

At times, Tobio thought of Hinata, and the sensation of having his wings burn him to his core. When he tossed and turned on the bed, it was of fiery hair that he thought of.

Perhaps it had been his greedy yearning that made them cross paths again, in a dimly lit tavern crowded with people itching for a fight, but staying in their seats all the same. Tobio had found himself in a corner of said tavern well into the night, cup as empty as his thoughts.

"I thought you'd be the type to brood," was Hinata's greeting as he approached. Tobio jumped, then frowned, wondering how he had got so close without Tobio sensing his warmth first.

Except, as Tobio looked up at him, he realized Hinata's wing were translucent, dispersing the light that went through them into rainbow colors, just like a crystal. The tips of the perfectly polished ice were dripping, water droplets hitting the floor each thirty seconds. And once he ceased to be distracted by that, Tobio finally took in the entirety of Hinata's features. More specifically, his hair and eyelashes, turned a stark white just like freshly fallen snow. His skin, too, seemed to glow silver and blue, instead of gold.

"What the hell happened to you?" Is what Tobio managed to reply, once he found his words again.

"Nothing?" Hinata looked about himself in confusion, face lighting up a minute later as he realized what Tobio was referring to. "Oh! Well, it is winter, so I've changed to match."

Tobio wrinkled his nose with distaste. "Why would anyone want to match Winter of all seasons?"

Hinata crossed his arms. "I don't have control over that, it just happens," he said, slightly irritated.

Tobio hummed in response, and busied his fingers with swirling his tankard around, like there was anything in it to swirl.

"I know you said not to come find you again, but..." Hinata started, but trailed off by the end. His hand moved, hovered somewhere close to Tobio's cup, to his own hands.

Tobio looked up, and a chill ran through him as their eyes met.

He acted faster than he could think, clutching Hinata's wrist in a none too gentle grip, halting its hesitant approach.

"Yeah, I did say not to come find me." Tobio stared into Hinata's eyes, and Hinata struggled to get himself free. As he got agitated, the cold of him enveloped the air, and Tobio leaned away from the it, holding back the urge to snarl defensively. "I meant it."

He left before Hinata could get a word in, to the sound of his name being shouted in equal parts frustration and desperation.

*

Tobio endured the winter, though freezing through most of it. He had gotten into the habit of, instead of seeking warmth, searching for where the cold was harshest, lying down where the snow would fall and eventually cover him entirely. If stayed there for king enough, his heartbeat slowed, and Tobio was drawn into a lull. His sleep, then, was a deep one that wouldn't break for days, causing weeks to go by without him being present for most of it.

He rarely remembered his dreams, but he remembered a voice every time: maybe it was his own, but maybe it wasn't.

I want to see you, it said, and Tobio repeated it in feverish whispers, still deep in his dreams.

With his days spent like this, spring came sooner, but not soon enough. Tobio hurt with the spread of the ice, as even his eyes were covered in a layer of it—luckily enough, it was sheer enough for Tobio to see through it, but that was only a small mercy.

He made the grass his bed this time, waiting for the cold to thaw, but it never quite reached that point. The ice became thinner, but never went away entirely. Not even the hottest hours could break through it. The sun touched his skin but provided no warmth.

I want to see you, he whispered, his hands tingling, gripping around nothing.

Tobio was dozing on a patch of yellow flowers when droplets fell on his cheek, and he predicted rain was about to pour. However, his eyes opened to not find not dark, looming clouds, but a smiling face leaning over him.

"You again," Tobio deadpanned..

Hinata shifted away, and so do his wings, now completely melted and leaving wet trails with each twitch of it. His hair was now a diluted orange, almost yellow, like dye mixed with too much water.

Tobio was too tired to inspect him for any further details, so he closed his eyes against it 

"Well, yes," Hinata said.

"Why do you keep finding me?"

Hinata plopped down beside him, petals flying off he did so.

"I keep thinking next time I'll find you dead," Hinata confessed, wringing his hands together.

"And why do you care?"

Hinata shrugged. "I should have a reason?"

Tobio sighed, rolled to the other side, away from Hinata. "That's what people usually do, yes."

"Sorry to disappoint, then," Hinata said with a pout clear in his tone of voice.

Tobio huffed, burying his face into the glass, the smell of the flowers clogging his nose.

"Are you sleeping?" Hinata prompted, lightly nudging him. "Kageyama?"

Tobio didn't bother moving, or talking. Hinata grumbled something in annoyance, but, after a minute of prolonged silence, pressed a hand to Tobio's forehead. His warmth was less blazing fire, and more sun-warmed water instead. Tobio leaned into it without realizing, and felt the ice in his eyes melt, sliding down the bridge of his nose and temple to fall to the ground below.

*

Permission, even if given with no words and without meaning to, was all Hinata had been waiting for as he had kept his distance to honor Tobio's desire (but not in its entirety, as it seemed Hinata wasn't so inclined to stay away for longer than a season's time). From the day Tobio allowed for him to stay by his side as he slept, Hinata would not leave.

He wasn't always glued to Tobio, but he was nearby, across rivers, up on trees, hid among flowers. Ever just a few steps away, a few winds away, close enough for his presence to stay at the edge of Tobio's attention, unable to ignore but not really intruding.

The warm breezes that blew between them shook Tobio to his core, a shiver that was oh so different from the ones he hid under thick coats and a hard demeanor. It had a sweet note to it, and Tobio often found himself licking his lips at the feeling of it.

If Hinata was aware of that effect, of the way Toobi shifted towards his spring-warm wings to the point of getting his own clothes damp, if he felt speeding heartbeats and short breaths, Hinata didn't say. And Tobio, used to stealing from others, simply welcomed the warmth, let it under his skin so it would melt him right off.

*

The arrival of summer was received with great anticipation on Tobio's part, and where others were already complaining about the too hot weather, Tobio stayed cradled the warmth of it, not yet free of the ice, but comforted by the clear skies and the suffocating humidity nonetheless.

While Tobio had relaxed into Summer, Hinata grew restless on the days that led up to it. He had paced circles on the grass, smoke surround him, emanating from his skin, fro the burning of the vegetation as Hinata stepped on it. His wings had stopped dripping, had regained an orange coloration, just like the color of his hair had become brighter. Tobio watched the change attentively, realizing he hadn't seen Hinata's in the Summer as of yet.

There was anticipation humming in him, poorly hidden in side-glances and prolonged stares, and sometimes Hinata countered it with a look of his own. Whenever he did, the tension between the two of them grew, thick and hard to breathe around, something Tobio didn't have a name for, but found himself desiring all the same.

So, when Hinata came to him on the very first day of Summer, looking the brightest Tobio had seen it, wings of fire stretched behind him, eyes glowing almost red, Tobio had to catch his breath first before taking a step towards him.

He wasn't sure who leaned in first, but it hardly mattered when their lips collided, their orbit drawing them together, binding, magnetic. Tobio exhaled against Hinata's lips, and wings moved to cover him, not quite touching, but the heat searing itself onto his skin all the same. Tobio parted his lips, let Hinata fit his own in the space of it like a jigsaw puzzle, so close they became more of a mess of shared limbs rather than two separate people.

Hinata slipped a hand into his hair, pulling him downwards, like he wished to bring them impossibly closer. Tobio clutched at his clothes, at his skin, touched it hungrily, needily. There was fire working itself into him, working itself into his veins, so strong Tobio feared it might bring him apart entirely.

The ice that had grown inside himself finally thawed, cracked, shattered, much like Tobio himself did. The fragments of it fell, forgotten at their feet, promptly melting due to Hinata's fire.

He felt stuffed full, a toy with too much filling. It was a little scary; it was exhilarating.

Tobio couldn't help it: he laughed, and Hinata soon followed, a joyful, bright sound, like the clear bright sky above them.

[fruit-teeth]

5. In the middle of some kind of tense situation, Medic has to help Heavy give birth to their baby. :3c

(yES??? Hopefully this is good I REALLY tried here absnsvgwjsjkywkd)

5. In the middle of some kind of tense situation, Person A has to help Person B give birth to their baby. (I know you kinda already said it but I like to be consistent lol)

“Maybe this is not necessary...” Medic crawled onto the mattress once he’d finished locking the door to the storage unit. “It feels rather claustrophobic in here,”

“Mm,” was Heavy’s only reply, his back turned to Medic as he lay beside him.

Medic went on, laying on his back as he stared at the ceiling. “I never liked that we had to come here in the first place. We’re too close to the lake here, of course flooding was bound to happen!”

“Doktor,” Heavy sighed, lifting his head a bit.

“I mean I understand it’s just temporary, but—!”

“Doktor,” Heavy rolled over, placing his hand on Medic’s cheek. “You will upset yourself again,”

Medic paused, and he took a deep breath. “You’re right...you’re right, Misha,” he shifted closer, planting a kiss to Heavy’s forehead. “Mm, so sorry,”

Heavy smiled a little, kissing back. “Is all right, I know you are stressed. This is scary thing,”

“Yes...” Medic nodded in agreement, and he gently touched Heavy’s stomach. “Especially now...this was poor planning,”

Heavy just chuckled. “No, no. Weather happens randomly, is no one’s fault,”

Medic shrugged. “Perhaps. Do you need anything?”

“Hm,” Heavy shook his head. “No, don’t think so,”

“Good,” Medic stretched out, curling up against Heavy with a sigh. “Hopefully the others will stop the flooding before it destroys anything of ours,”

Heavy just took Medic’s hands, pressing them against his belly. “Hush, don’t keep worrying, please,”

Medic cleared his throat, laying his head against Misha’s chest. “Right, sorry,” he rubbed a circle into his belly, pausing when he felt a little movement, and cracking a smile. “Oh, little bird is awake,”

“Yes,” Heavy only hummed, cuddling Medic close to him in an attempt to keep him calm.

Medic must have fallen asleep at some point, because the next thing he knew he was being frantically shaken awake by Heavy.

“What?” Medic blinked, regaining consciousness, and he grabbed Heavy’s arm. “Misha?”

Heavy didn’t reply; he only stared anxiously at the wall in front of the bed where they were laying. The sounds of heavy rain and and wind could be heard from outside of the warehouse, and the foundation was ominously creaking in response.

Medic sat up, panic setting in. “Oh, no...” he grabbed Heavy’s hand, looking towards the door. “Is it—?”

Before he could finish that thought, a rush of water came barreling through the thin walls of the warehouse, splitting the wall in half and sweeping nearly everything away.

Medic let out a loud gasp as the water swept him clean off the bed, and his face met the soaked soil on the land. He grunted, pushing himself up and looking around frantically when he realized he wasn’t near Heavy anymore.

“Misha?!” Medic looked all around, stumbling around. “Misha, where are you!?”

“I am here!” Heavy came limping towards him, grabbing onto him the moment they came into contact and holding him close. “I am here...”

Medic held on to him tightly, taking a moment to catch his breath before he took stock of the situation: most of the area had flooded, and it was raining profusely. The air was cold and as Medic touched Heavy’s skin, he could feel he was clammy.

“Oh, dear,” Medic took Heavy’s arm, trying to step around the rapidly forming puddles. “Quickly, we need to get to safety!”

“Doktor—!” Heavy started to say, but Medic cut him off.

“No! You need to get warm,” Medic led his husband to a cluster of trees several feet away. “Come on! We can look for the others later!”

Heavy grabbed his arm tightly, gritting his teeth and stopping right in his tracks. “N-no,”

“What!?” Medic whirled around, his hair and face completely soaked from the rain.

“It’s...” Heavy took a deep breath, his brows pinching together in discomfort. “It’s time, I think,”

Medic froze, processing what Heavy just said, before roughly grabbing him and dragging him to the trees. “Come on, come on!”

The trees weren’t terribly far away, but the trek there felt like an enternity. Heavy finally collapsed when they got to a part of the dirt that was significantly drier than the rest, and he began to undress without hesitation.

“Misha, we can’t do this now!” Medic shouted, dropping beside him and desperately trying to examine him in the dark. “Hold still...” he pulled his fingers away after a moment, confirming, “You’re not even dilated yet! You aren’t ready!”

Heavy tried to regulate his breathing, his large hands gripping at the tree he’d laid himself against, and he let out a groan. “A-are you sure?”

“Yes, of course I’m sure!” Medic took his hand, and he tried to help him get more comfortable. “Just wait...I’m sure the others will arrive soon! Then we can get you somewhere safer,”

Heavy blew out a slow breath, trying to stay calm. “...all right,” he gripped Medic’s hand, squeezing it. “I-I trust you...”

A moment passed as they lay in the dirt together, yet the rain grew heavier, and soon Medic knew they couldn’t stay there.

“Get up,” Medic urged, pulling Heavy up. “We must go find shelter,”

Heavy groaned again, pressing a hand to his belly. “I...I can’t!”

“You can!” Medic desperately grabbed at his hands, pulling him towards himself. “Please, Misha— you can’t have the baby here, these conditions are not safe!”

“Where will we go!?” Heavy’s voice strained as he yelled back. “There is nowhere! We are all alone, we cannot find the team, we—!” He yelped, doubling over again. “Ah! Doktor— Hans, please!”

Medic frantically searched for somewhere, anywhere to hide out in. Finally, he spotted it: a small bridge above a road, far away in the distance.

“Here!” Medic quickly grabbed onto Heavy again, dragging him to the spot under the bridge. “This is safer!”

He was right this time— the road hadn’t been terribly affected by the flooding, and the bridge shielded it from most of the rain. Heavy eventually found a bed of grass right beside the road, and he chose to lay there.

“I think—!” He gasped, his head falling back as he gritted his teeth. “Urgh! I think I am ready!”

“Hold on!” Medic rushed over to him, stroking his head and using his free hand to check his dilation again. He inhaled, rising and getting right between Heavy’s legs. “All right...you are ready,”

Rain countinued to pour down mercilessly, but the bridge protected Heavy from most of it as he gave the first push. He screamed, and it was so loud but Medic was used to it by now.

“Good!” Medic praised, using one hand to push Heavy’s legs further apart. “That was very good! Now breathe and push again!”

Heavy did as he was told, his whole body heaving as he gripped at the grass below him for support. He could feel that the baby was already so close, so he pushed a third time, crying out in pain again as he did so.

“You are doing so well!” Medic praised, a bit out of breath as he reached up to rub the other’s thigh. “Push again! Push, it’s almost over!”

“Yes,” Heavy nearly whimpered, but he swallowed the sound as he pushed as hard as he could one fourth, final time.

Medic almost cried out in surprise with how quickly the baby slid into his hands, but he caught it anyway, immediately pulling it into his arms to clear the airways.

“Oh, my God,” he breathed, lips parted as he carefully cleaned the little nose and mouth. Within moments, the baby scrunched up its face pitifully, and a small cry came from the little throat, the small chest starting to move.

Right away, Medic burst into tears, his hands shaking as he continued to tend to the newborn. “There you are! Yes, that’s it, take a deep breath! You’re all right,”

Heavy lifted his head, somewhat dazed but exhausted beyond belief. “I-Is okay?” He asked, swallowing as he anxiously watched Medic begin to twist the cord off.

Medic nodded, breaking off the cord and he sniffled, tears still rolling down his cheeks. “Everything is fine...she needs to be kept warm!” He laid down beside Heavy, laying the baby on his chest. “Here— keep her in your shirt, keep her close! She needs heat,”

Heavy just nodded, placing his large palm over the newborn and holding her close. She whimpered, curling into the warmth, and Heavy just pressed a little kiss to her head. “There you are...” he murmured to her. “I am sorry it is so scary out here, but we are here for you,”

Medic pressed close, keeping his hand on the baby as well, watching her chest rise and fall with her breathing. “She is beautiful,” he marveled softly, cupping her soft head in his hands.

“Yes,” Heavy agreed, tears rolling down his cheeks as he kissed the infant again. “So lovely...”

She had stopped crying, but she was still making small noises as she enjoyed the expanse of warmth she’d been laid against.

The rain eventually cleared up an hour later, and there was just silence. Medic rose when he heard voices, and he recognized them as Engineer’s and Demoman’s. He sprang right up, running towards where he heard them.

“There you are!” He exclaimed, nearly colliding with Engineer. “We have been through hell and back—!”

“Hey, we’re here now!” Engineer assured him, and he looked around. “Where’s Heavy?”

Medic gestured to the bridge. “Under there— he just gave birth an hour ago!”

Demo gasped. “What?! Oh, good God! In this weather!?”

“I’ll go get the truck!” Engineer turned right on his heel, sprinting away to where he’d parked. “Be right back!”

Medic headed back over to the bridge, kneeling beside Heavy and smoothing a hand over his head. “Love, we will be somewhere warm soon! Engineer will bring the truck!”

Misha blinked, nodding. “Yes, good, very good,” he sat up, clearing his throat, the baby still pressed close to his chest. “She needs blanket,”

“I know,” Medic embraced Heavy, feeling the baby between them and stroking his hair with a free hand. “Once we get out of here, she can have all the blankets she wants!”

Engineer pulled up, just as promised, and he and Demo helped get Heavy situated in the back. Demo draped his coat over the baby, apologizing quietly for the smell of whiskey (although Heavy didn’t smell any), and Medic climbed in beside him as the truck started back up.

“You are so strong,” Medic laid his head on Heavy’s chest, his hand resting on top of their daughter’s back. “You’re the strongest man I know,”

Heavy didn’t reply. He just smiled, and he kissed Medic’s forehead softly, his hand joining his on top of their baby.

[frozenmemoriies]

7. A memory they want to forget :3c

❄|| Within The Furthest Reaches Of Our Minds ( Accepting. )

                                                             January 3rd, 2002. 56°F.

{冷凍}➺ The sunshine was BEAUTIFUL today. There was so much to LOVE about the warmth, even for the CHILLY fox boy. He might’ve only been 5 years old with his twin sister, Rin, but he was READY for adventure any second of the day. A large green figure leans down and RUFFLES up the fur of the boy, and a giggle escapes him. The man was a tall fox, single tail, glasses, and always dressed to IMPRESS. Expectantly, he looks up at the man, and UTTERS in his small, squeaky voice, a DESIRE. 

{彼が語ります}➺ “Daddy! Daddy! Since it’s our birthday can Rin and I go to Petal Pass? Pretty pleaaaaaaaaaaseee?”

{冷凍}➺ The man simply smiles softly and NODS, but before he could even tell the boy to be safe, Izo has DASHED off past him, outside into the garden, where a little pink fox with six tails and a WARM smile plays in the grass. She leaps up at the SIGHT of the icy boy, calling out to him loudly and GIGGLING. Izo tackles her to the ground, tickling and PLAYING with her HAPPILY. 

{彼が語ります}➺ “Stop it Izo, stop it!! Icy Izoooo!! Stop ittttt!” 

{冷凍}➺ The fox boy pulls away his chilly HANDS from tickling his sister. His laughter seems to BURST forth, and it takes a surprising amount of time for him to STOP. Icy Izo? Sounds about right, that was what she’d ALWAYS called him, she LOVED the cold, despite her ability to CREATE things he could easily KILL, she loved it.

{彼が語ります}➺ “Hehehehehe sorry Rinny!! I’m just excited!! We get to spend our birthday in Petal Pass!!” 

{彼が語ります}➺ “Really?! Let’s go!! What are we waiting for?”

{冷凍}➺ The JOURNEY to Petal Pass wasn’t a long one, that was for sure. The pair continued to PLAY and be their young, goofy selves as they went down the path. Behind them, a small trail of FROST formed in Izo’s stead, and FLOWERS in Rin’s. Every now and again, their tails INTERTWINED with one another, but it never impaired them. It was as though they both KNEW how the other moved, and could prepare for it. They were always pretty in SYNC. 

{冷凍}➺ Petal Pass was an amazing plateau OVERLOOKING the sea. An open plain covered in NOTHING BUT flowers and beautiful scenery, it was something Izo had OPENED up to loving, and Rin had forever ADORED. Together, for hours, they played, frolicked and DANCED about, enjoying themselves in the warm light. Rin made flowers GALORE wherever she could, using her hands to craft blades of grass, leaves, and PETALS of wonderful flowers. Izo waved his hands a little, making bits of SNOW start to fall around him, and causing Rin to giggle.

{彼が語ります}➺ “Izoooo! Come here!”

{冷凍}➺ A little CONFUSED, Izo slowly brings himself to where his sister is kneeling. The patch of grass is VOID of any accents, of any flowers AT ALL. It was as if it was the only area in the ENTIRE pass that was like that. Wordlessly, Rin pats the ground ACROSS from her in this little circle she’s formed. The fox kneels, OBEYING the gesture. 

{彼が語ります}➺ “I’ve wanted to try this for a long time, ever since we discovered our powers!”

{彼が語ります}➺ “Rinny what do you mean? Try what?” 

{彼が語ります}➺ “I want you to help me make a flower. A special flower. One that can survive in the cold! I want to combine our powers!”

{彼が語ります}➺ “Yeah! Let’s do it!”

{冷凍}➺ The two would set to WORK, concentrating carefully. Rin simply had to do what she always did BEST, make something beautiful. Izo however had a real CHALLENGE, work with her. Make something AMAZING, without killing whatever she would create. His mind FOCUSED only on that, on making something great, and he let ice and frost SLOWLY move from his finger tips to the stem that had begun to form and grow from Rin’s power. The frost patterns WEAVED their way up the stem, all the way to the bud, and as the flower finished it’s GROWTH, it opened wide and BLOOMED. It was unlike anything the two had ever SEEN.

{冷凍}➺ An ICY COLD flower, it even felt cold to the TOUCH. The petals were velvety soft and it looked so ELEGANT and EXTRAVAGANT that the two sat in silence, in sheer AWE, looking at the magnificent thing they had CREATED. Rin took her eyes off of it for just a moment, and looked at her sibling, her other HALF. Slowly, Izo did the same, and their eyes met. A big GRIN crossed Rin’s face, and she giggled just a little. 

                   {彼が語ります}➺ “I’m so proud of you, Izo.”

{冷凍}➺ Izo’s hand goes to scratch the back of his head, NERVOUSLY, embarrassed by her statement, but TRUTH BE TOLD, he was a little proud of himself too. Rin’s hand REACHES out towards their new creation, and PLUCKS a single petal from it. In that moment, it’s as if the whole world SHIFTS. A burst of cold WIND emits from the flower, powerful enough to blow the two twins AWAY from their own creation. Izo’s back SLAMS hard into the ground, but he pushes himself to his feet, the only thing OCCUPYING his thoughts being Rin’s screams. 

{冷凍}➺ All that could be seen was her gloved fingertips holding onto the EDGE of the plateau, on the cliff side, DANGLING over the sea, far below. 

{彼が語ります}➺ “Izzzzzoooooooooo!”

{冷凍}➺ Feet can’t move FAST enough for Izo to reach Rin, and he watches as her frail fingertips can NO LONGER hold on, and slip over the cliff side. She SCREAMS as she falls, the sound shrill and UNBEARABLE. Terrified, Izo does the unthinkable. He has to save his sister, he HAS to! The young boy LAUNCHES himself off the cliff, diving after her, it was his ONLY CHOICE. He latches onto her tightly as he reaches her body, closer to the DANGEROUS ground than ever before. Spinning so that her body would remain ON TOP of his, his icy palms and body do their MAGIC and create a bed of soft frost and snow for them to land on. 

{冷凍}➺ Izo huffs, feeling the WEIGHT of another on top of him. While tired, and rather sore, they both were UNHURT.

                                  {冷凍}➺ At least, on the OUTSIDE. 

{冷凍}➺ Rin wasn’t catching her BREATH. Her whole body shakes, shivers. She sounded as though she’d been LEFT OUT in the cold for too long. Taking a CLOSER look, there’s a mark on Rin’s chest, all around her HEART, a snowflake. And frost GROWS around it. 

{彼が語ります}➺ “Rin…?”

{冷凍}➺ The vixen doesn’t say a WORD, and to say he panics would be an understatement. CAREFULLY, he gets out from under her and to his feet, picking up her form gently in his chilly body. He wasn’t as FAST as the famous Sonic The Hedgehog, but he’d be DAMNED if he wouldn’t try to be. Feet POUNDED different terrain all the way home, having to go a LONGER way than normal. Rin barely moved, she got COLDER by the second, her whole body starting to be covered in frost. 

{冷凍}➺ Finally, he reached it, home, SCREAMING at the top of his lungs, begging them to SEE him, to HELP her, that’s all he wanted. His parents opened the door and rushed out, to his side. They screamed QUESTIONS at him, asking what happened, what was going on. And that was when his MOTHER saw it. The snowflake. 

{彼が語ります}➺ “Please please mom we’ve got to help her! There was an accident! She fell and I just tried to catch her and help her but–”

{冷凍}➺ He was cut off by his own mother, screaming in the most HOSTILE voice he’d ever heard. She SNATCHED Rin from his arms, in a flash, before he could even do a SINGLE thing. 

                     {彼が語ります}➺ “GET AWAY FROM HER YOU MONSTER!”

{冷凍}➺ It took him a moment to COMPREHEND what had happened. They had both seen the snowflake over her HEART, and had BLAMED him, screamed at him. They yelled over and over again asking how he could do this to his DEAR sister, but he could never answer over their SHOUTING. His father grabbed him and began to do something he’d never EXPERIENCED before. He received a blow straight to the face, and NOTHING was held back. 

{冷凍}➺ Being THROWN to the ground once more by his father, he SCRAMBLES to gain some kind of ground, to stand, but is just KICKED over once more. Everyone backs away from Izo, a crowd had gathered, the townspeople, people who had KNOWN him. And a few of them were wielding objects that could easily BURST into FLAME. One held a lighter. It hit him then, they were going to MELT him into a puddle. But before he can THINK to get up, he looks at Rin once more and SCREAMS.

{彼が語ります}➺ “PLEASE! JUST HELP HER BEFORE–”

{冷凍}➺ The townspeople went SILENT, everyone did as they witnessed the ONE THING Izo had been trying to PREVENT. Rin had stopped moving entirely, as the frost covering her body CRACKLED and spread further, until it turned into SOLID ICE, in the shape of his once happy and bubbly sister. The PAUSE seemed to last forever, everyone staring at the FALLEN. But their attention went back to Izo faster than he could’ve REALIZED, and he panicked.

{冷凍}➺ He scrambled to his feet and started RUNNING, running as fast as he could down whatever path lie ahead of him. The screams of the townspeople RANG behind him, driving themselves DEEP in the CORE of his being. Threats of violence, being told to never come back, being told if he did he’d be MURDERED… they all rang through his ears as he ran, telling him he was… 

                                                                         …A MONSTER.

                                                           Present Day. -14°F.

{彼が語ります}➺ “It’s the one thing… 

                                                                   I can never forget.”

[theshatteredrose]

Flower of Life (Chapter 5) - Octopath Traveller Fanfiction

AN: Longer chapter today. And we’re getting to the good parts :3c So I hope you enjoy reading~

Ao3 | Wattpad | FFNet

Chapter 5:

The streets were just as empty as they were yesterday. And after what happened that morning, it was a little unnerving. Alfyn couldn’t help but wonder if the others got the feeling that this village should more...bustling than it was. Sure, there was a toxin of some kind plaguing the village, but shouldn't there...be more people trying to help?

Maybe he was just projecting his own beliefs…

Never mind that for now. He had other things to think about. For starters, getting through that Garden of Unease again.

They paused outside the gates of the abandoned manor, taking the time to examine the map and for Cyrus and Olberic to gaze upon the overgrown garden and statues dotted throughout the thorny vines and long-forgotten roses.

“So, this is the Garden of Unease,” Cyrus murmured. “Strange that such a place is here.”

“You encountered bones here, yes?” It was pretty obvious that Olberic wasn’t as entranced with the place as Cyrus was.

“Yep,” Alfyn replied. “About six of them, I think. Or was that eight?”

“Tch, hope we don’t encounter any today. So not in the mood for them,” Therion commented dryly, causing Alfyn to chuckle lightly, sympathising with him completely.

“Well, according to this map we’ll need to find that water feature again. And then it’s west from there,” Alfyn explained as he rolled up the parchment and placed it back into his satchel.

He then grabbed onto his axe while Olberic took hold of his sword. With the two of them, they should be able to hack and slash their way through the vines and thorns much easier.

It still took them a good few minutes to make their way through the dense, overgrown garden, though. And as they stepped out into the clearing that held the disused water feature, Alfyn only breathed a small sigh of relief.

...Huh...There appeared to be less statues that there were yesterday? Of course, he wasn’t keeping count, so he wasn’t completely sure. It just felt less.

Nah, he was just creeping himself out. Still on high alert after what happened that morning.

Anyway, if he remembered correctly, they had to now head west. Where another seemingly impenetrable wall of thorns and vines awaited them. So, he simply readjusted his grip on his axe and lead Olberic toward the natural formation.

After another few minutes of hacking and slashing, dotted with the occasional cuss word as thorns hitched onto their clothing, they came out through to the other side.

Thankfully, as they pushed through the last of the thorny vines and bushes, they stepped onto a long-forgotten path with foliage similar to those that surround the village. Tall trees, thick shrubbery, and the occasional mossy stone or two. The canopy was near impenetrable, allowing only the scantest of light to filter through.

And the best part? No deranged statues!

They once again paused to regain their bearings and Alfyn pulled out the map once more. “Apparently there is a hidden path north of here. Hidden behind a natural formation of green?”

“Probably a large boulder covered in moss that we’ll no doubt have to push aside or climb over,” Therion mumbled as he idly pulled the leaves and twigs from his clothing.

Alfyn chuckled as he rolled up the map and placed it back into his bag once more. “Sounds about right.”

“Well, after a quick cautionary glance, I believe that could be the structure the map is alluding to,” Cyrus suddenly said.

Alfyn immediately turned to look in Cyrus’ direction and found the scholar carefully pushing his way through the low-line shrubs. He quickly moved to follow, stumbling over the foliage slightly. A few steps in, he soon realised what it was that caught Cyrus’ attention.

And it was rather unusual.

It was a large chunk of stone, standing upright and flat like it had been carved from somewhere else and placed here for a particular purpose. It both blended in with the natural surroundings, and yet looked out of place. It was covered in moss, the deep green kind that indicated that it had been standing like this for some years.

And yet it appeared as if some of the moss had been recently disturbed.

“Well, it’s not a boulder, but it’s roughly the same size of one,” Cyrus commented as he inspected the structure, his lips pressed into a tight frown.

“There’s nothing else of note around here, so this must be what the map is leading us to,” Olberic added.

Therion looked rather suspicious, though still nodded his head in agreement. “Whatever it is, we need to get around it.”

Alfyn moved to stand near Cyrus and inspected the structure himself. “It looks like a door almost. Maybe we can just push it open?”

Carefully, Alfyn raised his hand and pressed it against the moss-covered stone. It felt cool to the touch, the moss quite soft. Fresh. Harmless, which was good. He pressed his palm firmly against the structure and gave a very light, very cautionary push.

It...seemed to move a little.

So, he lifted his other hand and pressed it against the stone as well. He hesitated for a moment before he pressed his lips together and pushed as hard as he could.

And he almost fell flat on his face when the structure, made of stone, just pivoted back like a regular ol’ door on hinges. Its movements were easy. It just glided open. And as it swung open, it barely disturbed the nature around it.

It...didn’t appeared to be attached to anything. It just looked like a huge chunk of stone. How was it able to function like a door?

“...Well, that was easier than expected,” Alfyn murmured.

“Very much so,” Cyrus commented softly as he walked through the opening, careful in his steps, and critical in his visual inspection.

“You mean suspiciously so,” Therion added.

“That as well.”

“Whatever it may appear to be, it is what the map is pointing us to,” Olberic stated as he strode through the opening, his gaze carefully inspecting their new surroundings. “And so far, it’s been right. Let us continue. I’ll take the lead.”

Ah, ol’ Olberic was feeling especially protective it seemed. That was fine. It was reassuring, even.

With Olberic taking the lead, his shoulders and back tense, his blade within reach for the slightest threat, they walked together in silence. They would have to ponder about the strangeness of the structure-turned-door later.

The path gave the impression that it hadn’t been touched in years, yet it was obvious that someone, or something, had been here recently. The grass had been disturbed and pushed down by someone walking across it. Some low-hanging branches had also been disturbed, broken, and with twigs littering the ground.

Could...that guy from the inn had been here after all? No, he couldn’t have. The thorns in the garden had been undisturbed. They had to literally hack and slash their way through!

Alfyn couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy. The thought that maybe the person who had killed that poor guy at the inn had been on this very path. Perhaps even with them currently.

And it appeared that he wasn’t the only one unnerved. It didn't take him long to realise that Therion was sticking close to him. It wasn't overly obvious of course, but he was purposely ensuring that they were no more than a couple of feet apart at all times.

Comforting and yet a little unnerving. Especially when Therion kept looking behind them, a subtly agitated look on his face.

“Therion?” Alfyn questioned softly. “You keep looking back. You hear something?”

Therion didn’t answer at first, too busy gazing over his shoulder. He soon made a low noise of annoyance and turned his gaze to face him. “...I’m not sure.”

Alfyn simply nodded his head and chose not to say or ask anything more. Instead he turned his gaze forward, only to walk straight into Olberic’s back when he came to an abrupt stop before him. And, ouch, walking into Olberic’s tense back felt like walking into a wall.

Surprised, Alfyn rubbed his nose with his hand as he took a step back. “Eh, Boss?”

“The path seems to have reached an end,” Olberic replied simply.

Alfyn tilted to the side to look around him, and sure enough nothing but a sheer cliffside stood before him. Going straight up. Huh? Better check the map. “Well, the map leads directly to here. So, there must be something hidden around here.”

“Let’s split up and search, then,” Olberic instructed. “But don’t wander too far.”

Honestly, with the thick shrubbery that surrounded them, anything or anyone could be hidden out here. And it would be easy for any one of them to get lost. Better stay within sight of each other just in case.

They fell into silence again as they inspected their surroundings. It wasn’t exactly easy, though. They hadn’t a clue what they were looking for. Where they looking for a single flower? Or were they looking for another structure. If they were going by one of the legends, then the flower was located inside a sealed vault. But if they went by another, then the flower was located in an area of harsh terrain.

Not to mention that there were plenty of other forest flowers around them. Sure, Alfyn knew what they were, but honestly the map could be indicating to them for all they knew.

“Hmm…”

Alfyn snapped himself out of his thoughts when he heard Therion murmur something not far from where he was. “Anything Therion?” he called out.

Keeping his gaze forward, Therion nodded his head. “I see a structure up ahead.”

“What kind of structure” Alfyn asked as he made his way over to him.

“It...looks almost like another door,” Therion answered as he indicated to the area in front of him.

As Alfyn turned to look himself, he noted that not too far off in the distance was indeed something quite out of place in the natural foliage. Even under the low light of the forest, it seemed to glow ever so slightly.

Whether this map was leading to the legendary flower or not, it was definitely leading them to something.

Bringing his hand to his mouth, Alfyn let out a sharp whistle to catch both Cyrus and Olberic’s attention. It too only a matter of moments for the two to reunite with them, and the four of them, carefully once more, headed toward the new and mysterious structure.

As they pushed through the foliage, it opened up into a clearing. One that was littered with smooth stones that jutted up from the ground. They, too, were covered in moss. But it was the strange carving in the sheer cliff face that had their full attention. It was around the same size as that moss-covered door they had encountered previously, yet it was the colour of sandstone, and was set in an obvious archway.

And upon the door was a round carving, section off into four different parts. Enclaves indicating that something needed to be placed inside of each. Maybe?

“Hmm,” Cyrus murmured as he immediately made a beeline toward the door, though he was still rather careful in his steps. “The door must lead deeper into the hillside.”

“Or it’s one tiny temple,” Therion couldn’t help but comment sarcastically.

However, it seemed to go right over Cyrus’ head as he simply nodded. “Indeed. Now, our next task is to find a way to open this door. I presume there’s a trick. Let’s us search the area, but for the sake of caution, don’t touch anything. There might be traps.”

Right, better get to searching then.

Once more, they parted ways, but kept within sight of each other just in case anything should arise. They needed to move cautiously, though. Cyrus might be right. There might be something hidden here. The last thing they needed was to stumble into a trap of some kind. Especially being so close.

A sharp stone jutting out of the ground caught Alfyn’s attention. It had a light layer of moss upon it, but it only covered half of it. And from what was visible, he could see something written there. At least an engraving of some kind.

“Professor? I found some kind of writing.”

Cyrus was by his side in an instant. He crouched down in front of the stone and ever so carefully brushed aside some of the moss. “Let me see. "Enter the Chamber of Healing". They also refer to something called Aeracura Blossom. Perhaps another name for the Flower of Life?”

Alfyn scratched the back of his neck for a moment. “That's a new one to me.”

“Something is definitely inside,” Cyrus murmured, more to himself than directly to Alfyn.

“Hey, I found something else,” Therion called out.

Not more than a few feet away, Therion stood before a tall stone monument of some kind. It appeared to have been hidden behind thick vines and branches. But Therion had cut them away, revealing markings and engravings similar to the ones on the stone that Alfyn found.

“A rune stone?” Cyrus questioned as they gathered before Therion’s findings.

And, lucky for them, Cyrus was able to read this rune stone as well. “Hmm, I think it states how one can enter the chamber. Four items are needed to be gathered and placed on the door.”

“Great, another treasure hunt. Why am I not surprised?” Therion muttered under his breath.

“Not necessarily so,” Cyrus replied, however. “Four elements are needed. And the one of virtue must place them upon the door in order for it to open.”

“So, we need to gather something from nature around us?” Alfyn questioned as he idly glanced at their surroundings.

Cyrus nodded his head. “Yes. Yes, I believe so. Something that depicts ice, fire, air, and strangely enough, steel.”

Alfyn was glad and honestly relieved to have the professor with them. There was no way they’d know what to do without him!

“Ice, fire, and steel will be easy enough, but what represents air?” Therion asked. “I don’t think just breathing on the door will work.”

“...Indeed.”

“Let us search for the three that we can,” Olberic suggested. “Perhaps the door itself will lead to a clue or two.”

That sounded reasonable.

“Ice should be rather easy to create,” Cyrus offered.

“Setting something on fire is easy work, too,” Therion added.

“Maybe we could sacrifice an old piece of blade or a knife?” Olberic questioned. “Otherwise we’ll need to find a piece of ore of some kind.”

Well, that was three out of four. But what about the air part?

A small white butterfly suddenly drifted past Alfyn’s face and an idea occurred to him. “Hmm...Hey. What about a butterfly for air?”

Cyrus turned to give him a curious look before his eyes also followed the butterfly. “Hmm...no harm in trying.”

It was surprisingly easy for Alfyn to catch said butterfly. He simply held out his hand and curiously, it landed on his finger. So, he carefully cupped his hands around it to ensure it didn’t fly away.

A little odd, but hey, he wasn’t going to complain.

“Well, all we need to do now is to place these things on the door, right?”

“From what the rune stone depicts, yes,” Cyrus answered. “But let’s be cautious nevertheless.”

They’ve been pretty cautious already, but he had a point.

“Alfyn should be the one,” Therion suddenly stated. Not suggested, stated.

And Cyrus immediately nodded his head. “Agreed.”

Alfyn blinked at them, startled. “Huh? Oh, ok.”

He wasn’t sure why he had to be the one, but he was sure Therion and Cyrus had their reasons. Perhaps there was something more written on the rune stone? Well, he supposed it didn’t really matter in the end. They had to at least try. Maybe one of them at a time. Yeah, that sounded right.

He waited for Cyrus to use his skills to create a reasonable chunk of ice, and for Therion to set a piece of stick on fire, while Olberic inspected their surroundings for anything that could be used to represent steel. And with the butterfly in Alfyn’s hands, they were all set to have a go at that door.

He really hoped that it would work. To think that it might actually lead him to the Flower of Life.

What if it was actually real? Shucks, he wouldn’t know how he would feel! It was honestly quite exciting!

He was still rather nervous, though. And his heart fluttered slightly when Alfyn stood before the large stone door that supposedly lead to a place called the Chamber of Healing. In the very centre of the door was a circle engraved into the stone, and the circle was partitioned off into four sections. And now that he stood before it, he could see symbols within those sections.

Those symbols were immediately recognisable. They stood for ice, fire, wind, and a knife, oddly enough.

The butterfly fluttered in his hand, so Alfyn turned his attention to the wind symbol. With his nervousness increasing, he raised his hands and carefully placed the white butterfly within the enclave.

The butterfly fluttered from his hands and seemed to happily perch upon the stone. As it did so, the wind symbol engraved behind it flickered a light green colour. It flashed a few more times before the light glowed brightly and strong. And stayed that way.

“Ah, something happened,” Alfyn said as he glanced over his shoulder.

“Yes, it seems to be working,” Cyrus encouraged as he pushed the ball of ice he created toward him. “Try the other materials.”

Alfyn nodded his head and took the ice from him. He turned back to the door and immediately, and with a bit more confidence before, placed the ice within its appointed slot. And like with the wind one, the ice symbol flashed a light blue.

Next came the flame. Olberic was the one to give him the piece of wood that had been set alight. And like the two previous times, as soon as Alfyn placed it within the door, the fire symbol flared, shimmer similarly to the fire he had just placed there.

Now...it was the knife’s turn.

“Here,” Therion suddenly presented Alfyn with a knife. One of his knives. “Used this.”

Alfyn immediately realised the significance of the gesture and he gave Therion a grateful look. “Thanks, Therion.”

Therion shrugged and took a step back while Alfyn turned back to the door. He drew in a deep breath and then placed the knife within the final slot. For a split second, nothing seemed to happen. But then the slot holding the knife seemed to shimmer with a strange silver light.

One by one each of the enclaves glowed brightly.

The stone door suddenly shook. Not violently by any means, but enough for small pieces of stone to tumble down from the archway. There was then the loud sound of stone grinding against stone as the door pushed in. It was then somehow pulled to the side, revealing a set of stone stairs that lead deep into a seemingly impenetrable darkness.

“It opened?” Alfyn murmured in surprise.

“Amazing,” Cyrus said as he peered inside. No doubt as eager as Alfyn was to explore inside.

“Careful,” Therion warned them though. “It’s pitched black inside. Let’s get a lantern going first.”

Also being cautious, Olberic moved to stand in front of Alfyn and Cyrus. “More than reasonable. But allow me to go first. In case anything should happen.”

Throwing themselves into the complete unknown probably wasn't a good idea. But hey, they had been alright so far. Besides, there was no turning back now.

It only took them a few moments to get the lantern ready. And with Olberic at the front, as per usual, they slowly descended the stairs.

Inside of the chamber was quiet. No rushing water, no howling wind. Just the sound of their footsteps against stone. There was a decidedly fresh smell to the air, though, mixing with the stagnant air. The chamber hadn't been opened in a very long time.

As Olberic lifted the lantern high, it revealed a set of stairs that spiralled downwards toward an open and flat area. Though the light didn't reveal everything, it did offer a tantalizing glimpse of something located in the centre of that open chamber.

Though Alfyn was oh-so eager to get his butt down there and check out whatever was been kept there, he knew that they couldn't afraid to rush or be complacent. It felt like ages when they finally reached the bottom step.

And as they walked into the middle of the room, Alfyn felt a gasp past his lips. In the very centre, where a circle was carved into the floor, grew a plant. Tall, large, a deep green with a bud that had yet to unfurl. It actually stood about four feet tall. It was so, so different to any plant of flower Alfyn had ever known or seen. He couldn't even recall seeing anything like it in his books!

“This is...?” Alfyn breathed as he immediately moved to approach the plant.

“My word, I wasn't expecting this,” Cyrus murmured. “Is that...?”

“I ain't seen anything like it before,” Alfyn stated as he walked around the plant, carefully studying it, even in the dim lighting. The deep green of the stem and leaves was quite stunning. The stem was also unusual large. Perhaps the thickness of his arm.

“Wait, is it safe?” Therion asked.

Good question. Only one way to find out. “Let's see…”

With one hand gripping the strap of his satchel, Alfyn slowly reached out toward the flower with his other. He simultaneously thought of the ingredients that would be needed for a possible poisoning, and carefully inspecting the plant for any signs of it being dangerous.

Flower and plant monsters were a thing, unfortunately.

But as his fingertips brushed against the oversized bod, the plant suddenly twitched, prompting Alfyn to take a large step back in surprise. And for the others to tense, and ready themselves for a possible battle.

Instead, though, the bud began to shake before suddenly, and surprisingly, unfurled before them. Large, luscious petals of a beautiful mixture of purple and blue unfurled before him. Opening up to him, almost.

...It was beautiful. He had never, ever seen a flower like it.

“It...opened up. Could this really be-?”

Was the Flower of Life actually real?

“Of course!”

Alfyn about jumped a foot in the air at the sound of a new and loud voice. “Wha-?” he uttered out in surprise and whipped around in the direction he believed the voice came from.

There, at the top of the stairs and in the doorway, someone appeared. Despite the way the light flooded in around them, Alfyn knew who it was instinctively. It was Henry, the apothecary from the orphanage. And with him were a couple of silent and hooded figures.

“Thank you so very much for leading us here, my boy!” Henry suddenly said loudly and cheerfully. Almost congratulatory in a way. “We’ve been searching for this flower for years! I knew you could do it. The moment I met you I knew you were special.”

Alfyn gaped at him while the others grew tense with suspicion and agitation. “How-?”

“Ah, that will come later,” Henry grinned as he reached both hands into the pockets of his coat. He pulled a large glass bottle out of his left pocket, while a thick cloth was pulled from the other.

“The rest of you, however, have outlived your purpose,” Henry said as he lifted the cloth to his face while he seemed to idly toss the glass jar into the air. “Now, let us go, Alfyn.”

As the glass shattered onto the ground directly in front of the, the smell of sleepweed was the last thing that Alfyn registered before it all went dark.