If someone had told Sebastian a few hours ago that he'd be prying conversation out of a stranger, he'd laugh in their face. People pried conversation out of him, not the other way around. It was a testament to how ass backwards everything was that as they walked, Seb peppered Tai with question after question, ignoring her long-suffering sighs and annoyed glances. He needed information, and she was his only way of acquiring it.
Luckily for him, she seemed to know her shit. At his endless prodding, she eventually gave him the cliff notes on what the hell this place was all about. Core of all magic, home to magical creatures, how he shouldn't be here if he wanted to live...you know, the basics. But what interested him the most, aside from her assurances that they were going the right way, was her explanation of the other types of magical creatures that existed in this realm. While it made sense that there were more species than Junimos here, he hadn't seen anything else in his travels so far, and he wanted to know more.
"Every spirit is affiliated with an element," Tai explained as Sebastian ducked under a low-hanging tree branch. The forest was beginning to thin out now, the gaps between the trees large enough that he could now see a barren, rocky plain in the distance. It wouldn't be long before they reached it, and he was glad for the change of scenery. This forest was too easy to get lost in.
"We all come from the spirit realm, but elementals with a tangible affinity can cross into the physical realm. Junimos, mermaids, sylphs – y'know, earth, water, air."
Sebastian didn't know how he was capable of being surprised anymore, but apparently he was. "Mermaids? Really?" he said, images of seashell bras and unfortunately named singing crabs flashing through his mind.
Tai pulled a face. "Stay away from mermaids kid. Half of them will drown you for sport."
"And the other half?"
"They'll fuck you, then drown you," she said with a smirk.
"Right..." he replied, shaking his head. Apparently the cartoon had taken a few liberties. "What about the ones that don't have a tangible affinity?"
Tai's lips pressed together into a thin line. "Avatars of darkness and light. They fancy themselves gods of this place. More like demons," she scoffed.
At Sebastian's curious stare she continued. "They have the power to manipulate this realm however they see fit – the geography, the weather...even their own form. But in return they can't leave without a host, and they've got a serious chip on their shoulder over it."
"A...host?" he repeated, really hoping that didn't mean what he thought it meant.
"An empty body to inhabit. Crazy wizards will sometimes offer theirs up, but usually it's just some stupid human who stayed here a little too long," she replied, glancing at him meaningfully.
He ignored her insinuation. "So, what, they steal our body and we're stuck here instead?"
Tai snorted. "They can't just sneak into your body dude," she said, throwing him a look that screamed idiot. "You have to agree to give it up. Or be forced to. Either way, the elemental has to merge with your spirit to gain access to your physical form, so...no. You don't get stuck here. You cease to exist."
Sebastian couldn't help the small sigh of relief that escaped his lips, despite her ominous words. Estelle would never agree to give up her body, and she'd definitely fight anyone who tried to force her. The danger was still incredibly high considering how powerful these elementals seemed to be, but at least there wasn't an hourglass looming over their heads the way he initially believed. She wouldn't just die because the clock struck midnight, like a some kind of macabre Cinderella.
"Don't get too comfy kid. While lesser spirits can be fought off easily enough, there's a reason that the greater forms of Darkness and Light rule this realm. They're masters of manipulation and deception," Tai said, her face darkening with anger. "And trust me, if they can get one over on me, your girlfriend doesn't stand a chance."
Sebastian opened his mouth to ask what they'd done to her, but when he saw her expression he closed it again. She clearly did not want to discuss it, and he could respect that. She didn't owe him her life story.
More importantly, her words reminded him of what the wizard had said before he left. "You'll be able to see through the deceptions." Had he been referring to these elementals when he said that? Did that mean Sebastian could fight them?
Tai paused as they finally broke through the tree line, a vast expanse of rocky cliffs and gorges before them. "Alright, well, this is as far as I can lead you," she said bluntly.
His jaw nearly dropped open, the abrupt declaration ripping him out of his train of thought. "What?"
"The girl's here somewhere, but I can't pinpoint her exact location. Her energy is bouncing all over the place, and I don't know her well enough to narrow it down," she said, shrugging her shoulders before giving him a sly smile. "But I suspect you do."
Yeah, he knew her. He'd been infatuated with her for months. He could pick out the sound of her breathing from a fucking lineup. But still... "How is that supposed to help me find her, exactly?"
"Close your eyes and listen."
Sebastian shot her a look of disbelief, but did as he was told. Nothing. Not even the normal background sounds of life – leaves rustling in the breeze, insects chirping, cell phones going off. The only sound he heard was that of his own blood rushing through his veins, and he opened his eyes again with a furrowed brow.
"No, idiot. Not with your ears," Tai reprimanded him before he had a chance to argue. "This isn't like the physical world. Think about her, the energy and life she gives off, the way she makes you feel – and listen."
Sebastian sighed sharply, trying to push down his immediate negativity saying this was stupid and would never work. He needed it to work, needed to believe it would work. He didn't have the luxury of pessimism right now.
Forcing his mind to clear out the bullshit, he closed his eyes and called up an image of Estelle. She was sitting on the couch with him, close enough that he could smell the herbal, slightly fruity scent of the shampoo she used, feel the the sunshine radiating off of her skin like it lived inside of her. He followed the curve of her lips in his mind, pulled up in slight amusement at whatever they were watching on the laptop, glistening slightly when her tongue poked out to moisten them. She tilted her head and suddenly those vibrant emerald eyes were locked onto his, piercing straight to his core, leaving him bare and exposed and absolutely desperate to have her.
Sebastian's eyes flew open as he felt a tugging in his chest, a nearly indescribable pull that he knew immediately was her. The strength of it surprised him. He was so drawn to her in the real world, but the magic of this place made it tangible somehow, like a string connecting them that yanked him forward before he could even register he was moving.
Tai smirked and followed as he led them towards a drop-off a short distance away. He wasn't sure if she was in the valley below or if they needed to cross over to the cliff on the other side, but he had absolutely no doubt that they were going the right way. This mystical bullshit might defy all logic and reason, but at least it was straightforward.
The tugging intensified as they approached the edge of the cliff, and Sebastian picked up his pace, his consideration for Tai's shorter stride flying out the window at the prospect of Estelle being near. He had just reached the edge when a voice called out from below.
"No, don't! It's a trap!"
It sounded like a young boy, and the voice held that slight melodic timber that told him it belonged to a Junimo. Sebastian's gaze locked in on the source of the sound...and his heart stopped.
He stood frozen, unable to move or think or breathe. It was like the world suddenly came screeching to a halt, like after everything he'd been through tonight his brain finally cracked. Because there in the valley below, Estelle was leaning up to kiss him.
The moment their lips touched, a silvery shimmer ran though 'him', and Sebastian snapped back into himself violently. That wasn't him – of course it wasn't, what the fuck was he even –
Tai's warning blared in his mind. They're masters of deception. Your girlfriend doesn't stand a chance.
"Estelle!" he screamed.
Sam clenched his hand around Natalie's, forcing her to slow her pace. He felt her glance up at him in question, but he kept his eyes ahead, scanning the swamp around them for any signs of movement or danger. He didn't want to explain that he felt better having Linus and the dwarf taking point, that he wanted enough space between them so that Natalie could run if they were attacked. He didn't want to admit how fucking terrified he was right now.
They walked in silence through the dim, gloomy terrain. It was probably better that way – don't want to alert the witch or whatever else was down here to their presence – but Sam ached for something to cut through the quiet. It was too easy to fall into the trap of his own thoughts when no one was talking. Too easy to think about Estelle being kidnapped, about Sebastian collapsing in front of him...
Fuck. Stop. Just keep walking.
It wasn't long before they approached a small hut, nestled deep within the swamp. Linus paused, tilting his head at the structure with narrowed eyes.
"She's not here," he said, confusion evident in his voice.
"But the Junimo said..." Natalie began, before Linus cut her off.
"Not Estelle. Victoria. That power she was collecting...she must have used it to break the seal," he sighed, lips pressing into a grim line. "We need to get back to the tower."
Natalie shook her head, letting go of Sam's hand to march towards the hut. "We need Estelle first," she said, her tone leaving no room for argument. Sam jogged to catch up with her, giving her a soft push behind him when they reached the door.
The inside of the witch's hut was just as disturbing as the wizard's – more so, probably. Three towering machines lined the back wall, two gazing creepily down on them while the third slowly dissolved into a smoldering heap. An acrid scent filled the room, from the machine or from the cauldron in the corner, Sam wasn't sure – and in the middle of it all was a chalk circle, with Estelle's lifeless body lying in the center.
"Estelle!" Natalie called, running over to kneel beside her sister. Sam closed his eyes for a long moment, shoving down the panic and bile that rose up in his throat. He knew she wasn't dead, but it was still too much after seeing Sebastian the same way.
Natalie pressed her ear to Estelle's chest and then nodded, sighing in relief. "She's alive," she confirmed, and Sam let out the breath that was stuck in his chest. There was still hope. He had to hold on to that.
Sam scooped her body up, fumbling to get a solid grip without grabbing a handful of something inappropriate. She was floppy and awkward, and he was surprised by how much heavier she seemed to be since the last time he'd picked her up.
Dead weight.
He grit his teeth, angrily commanding himself to get it together. Apparently he hadn't realized how much Seb's pessimism had rubbed off on him. If this is how his best friend felt all the time, no wonder he was such a miserable fuck.
They hurried out of the swamp, worry and fear keeping their pace quick. Thoughts of the witch filled his mind – either coming back to the swamp or attacking the tower, he wasn't sure which was worse. Either way, they were in danger.
He had no idea how much worse it could get.
They saw it as soon as they stepped out of the railroad and onto the mountain pass. A swirling, churning vortex of magic hanging in the sky, clearly visible despite the lack of moonlight. It crackled with energy, bursts of light popping inside like lightning or firecrackers, the power of it thick in the air.
And it was positioned directly over Pelican Town.
"Oh, Yoba..." Natalie whispered, eyes wide with horror. Sam tightened his grip on Estelle, setting his jaw as a feeling of intense determination washed over him. That death cloud in the sky was all he needed to see. Not all of this vague, incomprehensible mystic fuckery making his head spin. Here was a real, tangible threat to the people he loved.
His fear didn't mean shit in the face of that.
"I'm going down there," he said.
Natalie turned to him in disbelief. "What? Sam, you can't..."
"My mom and Vince are right under that thing, Nat. I don't know what the fuck's going on, but I'm not abandoning them," he argued. "You take Estelle and head for the tower."
"You're out of your mind if you think I'm leaving you."
"Sam's right," Linus interjected, gaze focused on the mass in the sky. "She's tearing open a rift. We need to get the villagers to safety, and we need Rasmodius. Splitting up is our only option."
Natalie shook her head, eyes beginning to glisten with angry tears as she glared at them. "I'm not fucking leaving you!"
Sam held her gaze for a moment before laying Estelle down in the grass and pulling Natalie into his arms. He squeezed her tightly – too tight, probably – but she didn't object, clinging to him with the same ferocity.
"You have to help Seb and Estelle," Sam murmured into ear, pulling back to cup her cheek in his hand. "Please, Natalie. I need you to take care of them."
He watched the crystal blue of her eyes run through a dozen emotions before finally settling on resignation. "I will," she sighed, pressing her forehead to his. "But if you get hurt I'm going to beat the shit out of you."
"Deal."
He kissed her, a feverish crash of lips that didn't last nearly long enough, before picking Estelle back up and starting for the path to town.
Pelican Town was eerily quiet as the group made their way to the clinic. Sam wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not, but at least it was better than the screams and chaos he'd expected. Everyone must be hiding inside, he decided. He wouldn't let himself consider any other possibility for their absence.
It was harder to maintain that stance once they got to the clinic and realized that Harvey wasn't there, or in his apartment above. They'd come here for a reason though, and Sam chose to ignore the growing pit of restlessness in his stomach as he found a wheelchair and sat Estelle down, using the velcro straps along it to secure her upright. Natalie and Linus scrambled to gather first aid supplies, while the dwarf watched for any signs of change in the rift.
Sam was raiding the exam room for sterile gauze when he heard an ear-splitting crack from outside, the sound shaking the walls and causing every nerve in his body to stand on edge. He raced back to the lobby, where the dwarf was yelling in her strange language, pointing wildly at the scene unfolding in the town square.
A wide, jagged crack now split the writhing mass, a pool of inky blackness within. Thin tendrils of mist snaked out from the edges, like smoke from a dying campfire, and then he saw it – a black lump collapsed on the ground below the rift, slowly rising to its feet.
Sam held his breath as he took in the creature – vaguely human-shaped, with the edges of its body blurred like they were made of shadow itself – but then it raised its head and all the air whooshed out of his lungs. Hateful, glowing eyes locked on his, and the monster charged.
"Kohota!" Linus yelled, shoving past Sam and throwing a hand up in front of him. The earth itself responded to his command, the cobblestone street crumbling away as a wall of rock and dirt rose up to block the creature's attack. Sam heard it growl in anger, a menacing, otherworldly noise, and claws scraped against rock as it struggled against the barrier. Linus closed his fist and pulled, and the wall collapsed, crushing the monster and dragging it deep into the ground below.
Sam stared at the spot for a second that felt like a lifetime, before Natalie's small, terrified voice brought him back.
"The rift..."
His gaze flicked back up to the sky in time to see a shimmering flash of magic run across the surface of the rift. Two red slimes dropped out, bouncing as they hit the ground below.
"Get Estelle and run. I'll hold them off," he said, taking a step out of the building to put himself between the creatures and his girlfriend. Shadow monsters might be beyond him, but slimes – slimes he could handle.
He half expected her to argue as his gaze met hers, but the gravity of the situation had hit all of them like a ton of bricks. Gripping the handles of the wheelchair with sweaty palms, Natalie nodded firmly and took off for the tower, not letting herself look back.
Shoving his sleeves up, Sam took a purposeful step towards the slimes, before a firm hand on his arm pulled him back. His brow narrowed as he looked to the dwarf, staring at him with her strange, unreadable eyes as she nodded towards Linus.
Sam followed her gaze to the old man, bent down with his forehead bowed low, mumbling incantations under his breath. Before he could figure out what was happening, Linus slammed his palms on the ground.
"Seina!"
The earth bent to his will once more, erecting a thick circular barrier around the square, trapping the slimes – and anything else that happened to fall out of the rift – inside. Linus pulled himself to his feet, weary lines of exhaustion crinkling his weathered face.
"It won't hold long. Arm yourself, and protect the villagers," he said, reminding Sam more of his military man father than the amicable old hippie from earlier. "I'll bring Rasmodius."
"Got it. Keep my girls safe," Sam replied, looking nervously at Natalie's retreating form. Linus gave him a reassuring nod and followed, leaving Sam to fight alone.
Well – not totally alone. He glanced down at the dwarf, fiddling with a small red bomb in her hands, looking for all the world like she was bored... and he couldn't help the choked, terrified laugh that bubbled up in his chest. The two of them had to be the least qualified individuals to play Big Damn Hero, but here we were.
The dwarf met his gaze with a tilt of her head, and Sam exhaled heavily, plastering a smirk on his face that looked far more confident than he felt.
"So, you ready to blow some shit up?"
His kiss was heaven.
Estelle never knew it could be like this. Her love for Sebastian overwhelmed her senses, flooding her system with a blissful satisfaction that pushed out everything else. She let herself drown in it, gladly surrendering her reality to the feel of him pressed against her. For one incredible moment it didn't matter that she was lost in some magic realm, that a witch was out for her blood, that she had no idea what to do next. She had him, and everything was perfect.
She'd needed this for so long.
The kiss escalated quickly, turning into something frantic, something hungry. The softness of his lips became nearly punishing, bruising in their desperation to claim hers. It was a dizzying contradiction, leaving Estelle's knees weak and heart sputtering. The tip of his tongue traced a scorching line along her bottom lip, demanding entry to her mouth. A soft whine escaped the back of her throat in response to his need, sudden heat pooling in her core as her lips began to part...
"Estelle!"
...Sebastian?
The panic in his voice cut through the dazed fog in her mind as effectively as a slap to the face. Estelle's eyes flew open, pulling back from the kiss and whirling her head towards the sound. Sebastian was here, right in front of her, but she knew that voice. It made no sense, but Estelle frantically scanned the cliffs for the source anyway.
"Estelle, run!"
Her gaze snapped to his, and all the breath in her lungs exited in a whoosh. There was no mistaking it – that was Sebastian, leaning over a cliff at least 20 feet above her. His eyes were wide and half-crazed with fear, and a sense of dread washed over her as she realized he was looking at her the way you'd look at someone about to be hit by a truck. That he'd been screaming at her to run.
A hand clamped down on her wrist and she turned slowly, blood frozen in her veins. His face was a smooth, blank mask, looking down at her with a coldness that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Sebastian would never look at her like that – like an ant beneath his heel.
"You're...not real..." she whispered, taking a step backwards as fear set in. His grip tightened, those perfect lips she'd been kissing only a moment ago pressed into a thin line.
"What are you talking about? Of course I'm real," he argued, tugging her arm. His frown deepened when she didn't budge, and yanked again roughly until she stumbled forward into his embrace.
"Let go of me!" she cried, struggling to free herself from his grasp. His fingers were like iron, digging painfully into her flesh, and there was no chance of prying them off. Instead she twisted her body, desperately trying to land a kick or punch, but it was no use. He shrugged off her attacks as easily as if she were a toddler throwing a tantrum.
"Fine. You want to do it the hard way?" he snapped, eyes glinting darkly. Despite knowing that this thing wasn't Sebastian, seeing his face glaring at her with such unchecked malice made her breath catch. One strong hand grabbed her jaw, holding her face immobile as his lips descended on hers once more.
Estelle heard Sebastian yelling something, but she couldn't make out the words over her pulse thudding in her ears, her own angry sounds of resistance. He devoured her mouth in a violent crash of lips and teeth, not so much a kiss as an assault on her face. The hand on her jaw tightened, applying pressure to the pivot points as if to pry it open, and Estelle grit her teeth to deny him the access to her mouth that he clearly desired.
The thing wearing Sebastian's face growled in frustration and grabbed a fistful of her hair, tilting her head to a more advantageous angle as he deepened the "kiss". Estelle used her newly freed arm to fight back, hitting and clawing at every part of his body she could reach, but her efforts only seemed to spur him on. His teeth broke through the skin of her bottom lip, the coppery taste of blood seeping into her mouth, and for one desperate moment she realized she might not be able to get away.
Chirp chirp chirp!
The impostor pulled back as a ball of magic nailed him in the back of the head, exploding in a shower of silver sparks that she immediately recognized. Everything had happened so fast that Estelle had forgotten a very important point – she wasn't alone.
He turned to glare angrily over his shoulder, and Estelle took the opportunity her apple friend opened for her. Curling her hand into a fist, she slammed it into his exposed throat as hard as she could.
Somehow, it was enough. He sputtered and coughed, hands instinctively releasing Estelle to go to his throat as he doubled over in pain. She bolted before he had a chance to recover, sprinting as fast as her legs would carry her towards the apple. He chirped urgently at her, pointing to a narrow pathway through the rock walls surrounding them. Estelle grabbed his hand to run, but he pulled it back, forming another ball of magic to throw.
A quick glance showed that her attacker was starting to straighten back up, and despite wanting nothing more than to get the fuck out of there, she hesitated. Whatever that thing was, it was powerful, and she couldn't just leave her friend to get hurt covering for her.
Fake-Sebastian's enraged gaze met hers, hot and intense and so full of hate it was nearly lethal – but the thing that made her heart skip was how, for just a split-second, the dark depths of his eyes flashed with an otherworldly, silver gleam. He raised a hand and a dozen or more lustrous white apparitions appeared, sharp and smooth as icicles, floating behind him like an army awaiting his command. Estelle made a snap decision and, ignoring the apple's chirps of protest, plucked it off the ground and carried it as she ran.
Estelle gasped as a soft whistling sound whizzed by her ear, a pit forming in her stomach as she watched one of the magical arrows crash to the ground, shattering like glass.
Oh, Yoba.
Another arrow narrowly missed as a strong wind whipped around them, the sky darkening rapidly like an approaching summer thunderstorm. This was the first display of weather since she'd arrived, and it couldn't be a coincidence. She pumped her legs faster as the light faded, winding through the labyrinth of rock, taking sharp turns and squeezing through narrow crevices in an attempt to lose her pursuer.
The thought crossed her mind that losing him meant losing Sebastian too. She hadn't had a chance to look back to the cliff she saw him on before taking off. What if that creature went after him instead? How would they find each other again?
Had it really been him?
Estelle yelped as an arrow grazed her upper arm, ripping her out of her thoughts and into the present. First, escape. Sparing the half second to look behind her, a tiny smirk crossed her face when she saw that somehow she'd gained ground on her attacker. He might be infinitely more powerful, but she was clearly faster.
Banking a sharp right, Estelle spotted a small hole carved into the base of the rock face further down the path, nearly hidden by shadow in the fading light. If she could make it before he turned the corner, she might have a shot at shaking him off.
Gritting her teeth against the burn in her legs, she booked it for the hole, nearly throwing the apple inside before taking a final peek behind her. Clear. In one smooth motion Estelle dropped to the ground and swung her legs in, only realizing too late that there was no floor under her toes. Her momentum carried her through, and Estelle fell into the earth.