Notes:
[f/n]= first name
SPOILER ALERT- Do NOT read unless you have finished Over the Garden Wall, unless you don't mind spoilers!
Snowflakes flutter around me as I continue to trudge through dense, unending forest. While one would normally describe air as being colorless, I cannot help but feel as if the air was colored gray by winter's hand. Even with the thick cloak wrapped around my body, I can still feel the biting cold ripping through my clothes and nipping at my skin. The only source of warmth I have is the fire from the dangling lantern I hold in my hand, but only my hand has the chance to receive its warmth.
When was the last time I had seen him? Has a whole season truly passed by? It's disheartening, but still I will continue my search. All of this is my fault, so I have no right to give up. Forever, I will keep searching, until the day I make things right.
Winter's muffled silence surrounds me, silencing the sounds of life. Only the hurried wind and the crunching of snow under my feet can be heard. But any sound is better than none as I continue farther and farther through the forest, my soul guiding me to where he hides. He always manages to escape me, but I will always find him again.
Wait, I hear a something! It can barely be heard, so soft it could easily be mistaken as the sound of snowflakes hitting the ground. If I were not a druid, it would not even be heard at all. I can hear the whispering soul of an Edelwood. I hurriedly swivel my head around, my eyes searching the vast whiteness for the source of the sound. My feet move underneath me with more passion, newfound heat rushing through me. If the whispering is as soft as it is, it means it is not too late!
There! Under a tree, a boy's figure lays sleeping, a frown etched into his face. Thin tree branches grow around him, slowly entangling him. Despite his shivering, he is unable to wake up, for the Edelwood is sapping away any energy he may have left. But it is not too late, I can save him! I fall to my knees, not caring about the cold snow that slowly melts against my roughened trousers, dampening the cloth. I reach out and trail my fingers against the smooth bark of the Edelwood. "Dear Edelwood," I whisper gently as my fingers soothingly trace the bark. "Do not take this child, for he is mine. Retreat back into the soil, I command you." I lean forward and breath out warm air against the bark, as if I was blowing it a kiss.
The branches hesitate, twitching as they try to resit my command. But eventually, they untangle themselves from the boy's body and retreat back into the soil. My hands wrap themselves around the boy's freezing face, trying to transfer what little warmth I had to him. His red and pointy hat falls off as I straighten his head, revealing his messy brown hair. It's no good, he is much too cold. His head stirs against my hands as his eyes squint open. His brown orbs widen as they make contact with mine.
"Whoa, hey, what are you doing?" he cries as he pushes my hands off of his face. His warm breath puffs in a white cloud against my face, and suddenly I'm much too conscious of how close I am to him.
"I'm sorry, I was trying to warm you up," I reply as I scoot away from him. "But more importantly, how are you feeling?"
He eyes me warily as his arms wrap around his trembling body. "Well, you're right about it being cold. How are you holding up, Greg?" he asks as he glances to the side, only to find there is nothing there. "Greg?" the boy cries, panic overflowing his words. He scrambles up, his eyes darting around in search of the missing person. "Greg, where are you?"
I grab the boy's hat as he darts off and I chase after him. "Wait, boy, stop!" I cry after him.
He halts in his tracks, but his body twitches in a need to continue running. "Did you see a little boy around anywhere, wearing a tea kettle on his head and carrying around a frog?" he anxiously asks.
"No," I reply, fear creeping into my heart. If this Greg is lost, could it be…
"Oh no," the boy moans as his hands pull at his hair. "This is all my fault! I'm really the reason we're in this mess, and now I've lost Greg."
He swirls around to continue running, but I reach out and grab his shoulder. "Stop! Look, you have to calm down, or you'll never find him. A panicked heart has no eyes. What is your name?"
"I-I'm Wirt," he replies, anxiety swimming in his eyes. His name almost sounds like wart.
I smile reassuringly at him as I tell him, "Hi, Wirt, I am called [f/n]. I'm going to help you find Greg, so stop being a worrywirt."
"H-hey!" Wirt cries at the nickname, his face reddening. Good, at least he is no longer panicking.
I hand him his hat, which he absentmindedly places back on his head. "Lucky for you, I'm a druid," I tell him warmly. "I am more attuned to this forest than the average person, or even critter. I can see, hear, smell, and sense many things that go unnoticed by everyone else."
"So you can definitely find my brother?" he asks me hopefully.
"I'm sure of it. Here, hold this lantern," I tell him as I hand him the encased fire. "It'll warm your hands, if only a little. Now come, I'll lead you to your brother." But as I turn away, the smile melts away from my face. Yes, I know where Greg is, but it's not a good thing. He is with the Beast, an encounter that proves to be dire to any lost child. I'm scared of what the Beast may have done to the poor boy. I'm always scared to see the Beast, to witness what he had become.
"Um, so, you're a druid?" Wirt says from behind me as we trudge through the snow. "So like, what exactly can you do?"
I glance back at him briefly with a mysterious smile. "Many would call it magic," I tell him. "Druids are beings who are considered one with nature. We can speak to the plants and the animals. We know the Earth as if it were are own soul. Working together with nature, druids can absorb the energy from the Earth and create potions and enchantments."
"Isn't that the same as being a witch?" he asks nervously.
"No," I reply softly. "No, we're not witches, though we use the same source of magic. While druids work together with nature, witches forcefully take from nature. But witches also have dark magic, which draws from evil spirits and the souls of other people. Dark magic is forbidden to druids, so don't worry. I'm not going to harm you."
"Oh, I-I wasn't calling you a witch or anything!" Wirt cries, his cheeks pink. "I was just wondering." I can't help but giggle at his flustered manner of speech. As we're walking, I hear him mutter to himself, "Great, go and offend the one person trying to help you, Wirt."
Before I have a chance to reassure him that I'm not offended, a soft sound causes me to freeze. At the quiet whispering, I feel the blood drain from my face. It has already begun. "Wirt, grab my hand!" I demand hurriedly as I offer my hand.
"What, why?" he asks, but obediently grabs my hand.
"We're going to ride the wind, so you must hold on to me very tightly!" I tell him. With the wind rushing as it is, I normally would never attempt to ride it. One slip up, and the wind can trap me in its currents, tossing me wherever it may please. In fact, holding hands is not enough. With a tug, I pull Wirt closer to me. "Wrap your arms around me and hold on tight."
"Uh, ok," he replies before blowing out the lantern and placing it on the ground. Hesitantly, he wraps his arms around me.
"Tighter," I demand. After his arms encase me in a firm grip, I release a high pitched whistle that pierces through the sky. At my command, the wind sweeps downwards and swirls around us, wrapping us in its embrace. A small shout of surprise escapes Wirt as we are lifted off of the ground, and my own arms wrap around him to hold him closer.
Lead me to him, I silently command the wind. I block out Wirt's various exclamations of surprise as I invest my entire concentration on keeping the wind from blowing us apart. Please. The wind presses closer, until it feels like we're in a orb of swirling wind. Suddenly, we are flying through the air towards the destination I keep vividly in my mind. I won't get distracted by the thought of him, of confronting him, so I desperately fight the thoughts off. Nor will I get distracted by the feel of Wirt pressing against me.
The closer we get, the more I can hear the whispers. Much too soon for my unprepared heart, our feet once again connect with the ground. There, wrapped in the branches of Edelwood, is the little boy called Greg. "Greg!" Wirt cries with alarm as he rips himself from my arms and dashes towards Greg.
"Wirt?" Greg croaks out, his eyes tiredly opening to reveal green orbs, their sparkle dulled by fatigue.
"I'm so sorry!" Wirt cries as he pulls at the branches, but to no avail. "This is all my fault! I got you in this mess, so I'm getting you out of it!" Wirt grunts in effort as he continues to try and pull the branches off of Greg.
I gently place my hand on Wirt's shoulder, ceasing his efforts. "It's ok, Wirt, I can fix this," I tell him softly. Once more, my knees dig into the snow as I begin tracing the bark with my fingers. I whisper the chant I had spoken to Wirt, commanding the Edelwood to release Greg. It takes longer this time, for the branches are more tightly wrapped around Greg, but eventually they retreat into the soil.
"Greg!" Wirt cries with relief, dropping down to his knees alongside me to wrap Greg into his arms.
I'm unable to share his relief for long, for the piercing screams of the trees rip through me. I scream in agony as I press my hands against my ears, my head feeling like it's being split open. "[f/n]!" I hear Wirt cry in alarm, but it is barely audible through the pain. I feel Wirt's hands grab my shoulders when suddenly, the screams stop. "What's wrong?"
Before I can reply, the body of a man is thrown through the foliage and lands beside us. In his hand, the man holds a lantern that I know far too well. In the other, he holds an axe that is the cause of the agonized screams of the trees. Swiftly, I crawl to the man and snatch away the lantern. "Woodsman!" a familiar voice calls threateningly, a voice that fills me with dread.
From the foliage, a black figure emerges. "It's the Beast!" Wirt cries fearfully, and his hand wraps around mine as he pulls me closer to him and Greg. "We have to run!"
"I can't," I tell him sadly as I rip my hand from his. "I have to finish this."
"What are you talking about?" Wirt asks me, his eyes filled with fright.
I only smile sadly at him as I turn to the Beast. To the blackened figure, I whisper out, "Brother."
"[f/n]," he whispers in turn. He recovers from the shock, and his voice raises as he demands, "Return the lantern!"
"No," I say firmly as I step closer to him. Soon, I find myself staring into his eyes, the only thing that remained the same. His beautiful, opal eyes that would change from white to green to blue. "Brother, we cannot continue this. It's time to let go." I can already feel the tears trickling down my face, my heart squeezing painfully.
The Beast reaches out, his fingers wiping away the tears. "I will not leave you alone, [f/n]," he tells me softly. "I need you."
My breath hitches at his loving caresses, but I tightly squeeze my eyes shut as I collect my determination. "No!" I shout, my eyes opening with conviction. "Look at what you've become!" I swing the lantern, shining light on the Beast to reveal his disfigured body made from the souls of lost children. "Look at what you've done! This is isn't you, Brother. You can't continue living like this!"
"I will do what I must!" he roars. "I will not leave you!"
"Brother," I croak out, my voice flooded with tears. Slowly, painfully, I tell him, "It's ok. I don't need you anymore."
"Liar!" he cries.
I shake my head as I smile softly at him. I rest my hand on his cheek, stroking him lovingly as I repeat, "I'm ok now. You can leave, you can be happy."
"Don't!" he cries as I bring the lantern close to my lips.
"I love you," I tell him sadly, and with a gentle blow, the fire is extinguished. Beast screams as light wraps around us, tearing away the darkness that cloaked him. Various voices flood the air as the souls of the children fly away, stripping Beast of his life force.
Soft sobs shake my body as I shut my eyes, until finally the voices are gone. "[f/n]," a voice calls me lovingly. I open my eyes to see a man with black hair and opal eyes. On his head, the horns of a deer protrude. Brother's inner soul animal had always been a deer, a kind and gentle spirit.
"B-Brother," I force through the tears. "I'm so sorry, for everything."
His arms wraps around me as he pulls me into a hug. "It's ok," he tells me gently. "I will always watch over you."
"Goodbye," I whisper to him. The warmth of his embrace disappears, and only my hot tears can be felt.
His body is gone, but in the wind, his voice whispers, "I love you, dearest [f/n]." Stillness surrounds me as I stand alone, grief coursing through my body.
I hear footsteps approach me, reminding me that I'm not alone. "[f/n]?" Wirt says softly with concern.
"He was my brother," I tell him without turning around. "We didn't have parents, so he was all I had. But one day, he became sick, and I was unable to cure him. He died, but I wasn't ready to be alone, to lose the person that meant the world to me. So I used forbidden magic that would transfer his soul to an inanimate object, allowing his body to continue living as long as his soul was kept in this world. I transferred his soul to this lantern. I didn't know the soul had to be fed other souls in order to continue living without a body. I didn't know. Many people suffered because of me."
Suddenly, arms wrap around me from behind. "It's not your fault," Wirt tells me gently. "I know what it's like to lose your brother, and you didn't know all of this would happen. But you fixed everything, and you saved me and my brother."
With a sniffle, I say tearfully, "Thank you, Wirt."
Smaller arms wrap around me as Greg cheers, "Yay, group hug!"
When we all eventually pull away, I wipe away my tears and smile at them warmly. "So where are you two headed? I shall escort you there."
"Um, well, about that," Wirt says with a strained smile as he scratches at his head. "We have no idea where we're going," he tells me as his arms drop in defeat. "We're trying to get back home, but we don't know how to get there."
"How long have you been traveling?" I ask him.
"For a long time now," he sighs. "I'm starting to think we'll never make it back home."
"Of course we will!" Greg says optimistically. "Anything's possible!" The frog Greg cradles in his arms croaks his approval.
I frown as I look upwards at the sky, snow falling in a flurry. "I don't think you guys should travel in the winter, it's too dangerous," I tell them. "If you want, you can stay at my house until winter passes, then I will help you find your home."
Wirt shivers as he wraps his arms around himself, glancing at the surrounding snow. "I think you're right," he tells me through his chattering teeth.
"But first," I say as my eyes land on the knocked out woodsman, "we should all try to get warm. Wirt, can you watch over the woodsman as Greg and I gather firewood?"
"Er, sure," Wirt replies, eying the Woodsman nervously.
"Thanks, we'll be quick," I tell him. Luckily, there is plenty of firewood lying about thanks to the woodsman previously hacking at the surrounding trees. As I'm picking up the heftier pieces of wood, I notice a splash of bright blue standing out amidst the white snow. Curious, I walk towards it, and I'm shocked to find that it's a bluebird.
I scoop up the bird from the freezing snow and hold it close to my heart. I'm relieved to find there is still life in the frozen bird. What is a bluebird doing out in this weather? "It'll be ok," I murmur to the bird. "I'll fix you up."
"What'cha got there. [f/n]?" Greg asks he waddles over to me, his arms filled with branches. He peeks at the bird resting in my arms. "It's Beatrice!"
"Beatrice?" I repeat.
"Yeah, she was helping me and Wirt get back home," he explains.
"She can talk?" I ask him.
"Yeah, she and Wirt like to bicker a lot."
"I see," I murmur. If they can talk with Beatrice, then either Wirt and Greg are actually druids, or Beatrice is not actually a bluebird. "Let's hurry and get this fire started so we can warm her up."
"Yes, Captain!" Greg exclaims.
With the fire started, all of us huddle close to embrace its warmth. My eyes travel to each of my new companions, and even my heart feels like it is warming up. Wirt fussing over Greg, Greg moving the frog in a wobbly dance, and Beatrice sleeping peacefully in my arms. It feels like I actually have a family. I'll miss them when they leave, but at least I won't be alone this cold winter.
Brother, I'm not alone," I think, willing the message to be sent to my brother. I smile happily as the snow drifts around us, the fire dancing in a welcoming glow.
I'm looking forward to returning to a house that will no longer be empty.
To Be Continued