I've been quite busy lately, but here's another chapter.
Chapter Fifty-Nine: Certain Treatments
The clock chimed twelve-o'clock in the morning- here in Winter Keep, with the Illuminator constantly lighting their skies, chimes were the only way to properly tell time. Duff considered it a small inconvenience, at most. He'd hated the dark, both outside where monsters could attack them, and in the tunnels where he and the other Frost Elves had been forced to hide. The Tzo Crystals they'd used to light those tunnels, while effective, were a poor substitute for outdoor light. Duff would take any inconveniences that the Illuminator had along with the benefits.
Such inconveniences included insomnia, which the Frost Elves could counteract with magic potions. Duff had taken a sleeping draught about an hour ago, yet the effects didn't seem to be setting in yet. Usually it only took a couple minutes, yet here he was, sitting by his bedroom window, watching the snow fall gently down while he waited to feel even the least bit tired. Usually when he had an issue like this, it was because something bad was going to come up.
Maybe that was the problem.
Was it?
Duff certainly felt like something bad was going to happen. Captain Avril had gone out to meet with some of the other leaders in the Cloudbreak Islands to discuss the volcano's eruption in a few years' time, leaving her second-in-command in charge. And just as she'd left, they'd gotten news from Eon's Citadel that Whirlwind was going to bring some friends to Winter Keep for a visit, and that they'd be staying for a week.
Whirlwind.
Savior of Winter Keep.
Someone whom the Frost Guard had turned away from on numerous occasions she tried to help them, refusing to accept her aid. They glared bitterly at her because she was an outsider, and she still worked her hardest to help them.
They hardly deserved that kindness from a stranger.
They certainly couldn't give Whirlwind such a poor impression of their home again, especially if she was bringing friends along. So the second-in-command had given Duff an important task.
He was to act as their guide, and make sure their visit to Winter Keep was an enjoyable one. He had permission to bend whatever rules he wanted, make whatever concessions he needed, ask favors from anyone he had to, in order to make this happen.
Yeah, that's probably what was keeping Duff's sleeping draught from taking effect.
He wasn't sure what about the task made him so ill at ease. He knew part of the task would involve asking the townspeople for those favors. The whole community seemed shaken up by the announcement of Whirlwind's visit- everyone in Winter Keep shared that shame- so they probably would go along with it. On one hand, it felt rather dirty even just considering using people like that. On the other, they couldn't possibly let Whirlwind down again.
Duff sighed, staring out the window. He probably wouldn't be getting much sleep tonight, but he would still do what was asked of him in the morning.
Duff was out bright and early the next morning, heading out for the docks. He probably got about two hours of shuteye last night, which was better than nothing. He hoped his tiredness didn't come across as obvious to his guests. A cold breeze whipped past as he walked, flowing through his auburn hair. Perhaps if anyone asked, he could pass it off as the cold sapping his energy as he waited for them.
He spotted a balloon flying overhead, with an object flying around it. The object split away from the balloon, flying closer to the dock until he could make it out as a blue dragonoid creature. The creature landed on the icy wood of the docks, sliding up to Duff with a giggle in her voice. This was Whirlwind, arriving about as Duff had expected her to arrive.
"Good morning, Duff!" Whirlwind cheered, shaking her feathers out. "How have you been lately?"
Duff gave her a small smile. "I've been good," he told her. "We've been going through the motions, building Winter Keep back up to the way it used to be. I think you'll be impressed with what we've come up with."
"Is Avril around, by chance? I've been eager to see her ever since I started planning this trip."
"I'm afraid she's out on business, at the moment. She's been made Captain of the guard, and is talking with the other leaders of the Cloudbreak Islands. It should only be a few days, though- Avril will probably be back before you have to go."
Whirlwind nodded, looking a bit dejected. But she quickly perked back up, humming, "So Avril's been made Captain? That's incredible."
"Indeed. We're very proud to have someone like her leading us."
Soon the balloon landed, letting off three more passengers. One of them was another dragonoid, with orange-ish feathers and apparent bird features, such as a beak and talons. Another looked to be a full-blooded dragon, this one with dark purple scales, who wore spiked bands on her ankles and neck. The final individual was a fellow elf- although paler in complexion than Duff and his kin- wearing black clothing and seeming to hover above the snow-covered deck.
They were quite a strange-looking group- as to be expected from the Skylanders that Whirlwind worked with.
Whirlwind hopped over to the trio, announcing, "Duff, these are my friends Sunburn, Cynder and Hex. They're just a few of my friends among the Skylanders. I can't wait for them to see everything there is to see here in Winter Keep."
"It's nice to meet you all," Duff greeted them.
"I feel the same way," the bird-dragon, Sunburn, hummed awkwardly, "although this place feels a bit strange to me."
"I'm actually quite excited," the dark purple dragon, Cynder, chirped up. "I've never been on a weeklong outing with Whirlwind and Sunburn before. This should be fun."
"We don't have to talk with any officials before we set off, do we?" the black-clad elf, Hex, sighed tiredly. "You don't appear to be just any old person."
Duff shook his head, stepping closer to the group. "Oh no, that won't be necessary," he insisted. "Not unless you feel like it, of course. The Frost Guard sent me down here to act as your guide for the trip. You may call me Duff."
Hex looked up at him and crossed her arms, apparently not convinced. "Do we really need a Frost Guardian to act as our guide? It almost looks like you expect us to get into trouble."
Whirlwind hopped over and lightly slapped her with one of her wings. "Duff came down here because he's my friend," she insisted. "He wants to make sure we're doing well."
"It's the duty of the Frost Elf Guard to make sure everyone in Winter Keep and the surrounding icy region," Duff added on. "We come by to help everyone with whatever they need, no matter how small it may seem. That also goes for our guests."
Hex shifted, pulling out a roll of paper. She glanced back at Duff, although she didn't keep going with the conversation. Duff tried his hardest to keep his composure. Why did it seem like this elf was on to him? She couldn't possibly know anything about Winter Keep or its people yet.
He was being ridiculous, he tried to tell himself. It was just his lack of sleep making him worry.
"Anyway, we don't want to stand out in the cold all morning, do we?" Duff insisted, changing the topic. "I still need to show you all around Winter Keep. Things look a bit different than they did before the curse changed our land, so I'm happy to be a guide."
"Then what do you want to show us first?" Cynder asked.
"Well, have you all eaten yet? Because there's a nice cafe not too far from here where we can go for some cute pastries. It's a favorite of mine."
Sunburn nodded with a smile. "I'm willing to go for snacks," he decided.
Duff led the group on, making their way out of the docks. Another cold breeze blew past, this time sending a shiver up his spine. This was the start of his task, and he had to make sure he didn't mess it up.
Things were going well, as far as Duff could tell.
Their first stop was the cafe, as he had promised. The group enjoyed the cakes that were the cafe's specialty, though Sunburn and Hex didn't eat as many as their friends. Halfway through their meal, Duff excused himself to go to the restroom- and after making sure the group wasn't looking, he made his way to the front desk to tell the staff to give the group a discount.
"Are you sure this is the right price?" Whirlwind asked. "It seems very small for what we just ordered."
"I'm positive, miss Whirlwind," the barista told her. "No need to worry."
Whirlwind didn't appear convinced, but she didn't press on.
Next, Duff took them out to the frozen lakes, which was a popular spot for ice skating. Sunburn opted out of that excursion, insisting that he and frozen lakes didn't match well, instead deciding to go into the furniture shop a few feet away. The others bid him farewell and raced out to the ice. Duff stayed back for a moment, talking to the managers and telling them to give Whirlwind and her friends the space they needed, as well as asking for another discount.
Perhaps those concessions were necessary, this time around. Whirlwind and Cynder were absolutely clumsy out in the ice, and Hex spent most of her time making sure the two stayed upright. Duff stayed at the banks to watch, calling out tips and warnings whenever he felt it was necessary. The rest of the skaters were clustered onto the other, smaller lakes, while Whirlwind and her friends had all the room they needed. And for good reason, Duff decided. Their group could crash into and hurt someone.
There was nothing wrong with that.
Was there?
The trio eventually got off the lake, heading for the shop that Sunburn went into. Duff looked back at the lake, spotting the other skaters quickly filling into that one. He quickly turned back, hoping that Whirlwind's group didn't notice. They found Sunburn waiting outside, halfway through the door.
"Took you three long enough," Sunburn called out to them. "I'd like your help with something."
"I'm surprised you found something to interest you in a place like that," Whirlwind smirked. "I always figured you'd be more apt to prank a place like that than to actually go shopping in there. What do you need?"
"It just so happens that this store has a nice selection of throw rugs. I want help paying for one."
Cynder hummed and shuffled her wings. "What happened to the money you stole from Terrafin?" she asked.
"Hey, it's not my fault he sucks at Skystones," Sunburn retorted. "I won that money fair and square."
"Not the way you play Skystones."
Hex floated up next to Sunburn. "I think I understand. The nicest rugs are the most expensive," she explained. "Sunburn simply doesn't want to waste all of his funds in one place."
Oh, perhaps Duff could get them a discount on that rug. "I could help, if you wanted," he offered, straightening up.
"I think I'm more than able to help on my own," Hex insisted. "Why don't you help Whirlwind and Cynder somewhere else? We'll catch up."
"Thanks a lot, Hex," Sunburn beamed. "I promise I'll treat you to something later."
"That won't be necessary. I'm more than happy to help."
Duff nodded, and stepped back. His gut churned painfully with worry, eager to want to help them get the rug- along with the guilt that would follow. But if he kept insisting on helping them here, they might grow suspicious of the reason why. So far, Hex seemed rather dubious of his intentions. So he simply left them be.
"Wasn't there a park area somewhere nearby?" Whirlwind asked. "Why don't we go there?"
"I'll gladly take you there, if you like," Duff nodded.
"So you two can meet us there when you're done here," Cynder told them.
"Very well," Hex concluded, arms crossed. "We'll see you in a bit."
The group said their farewells before splitting off.
Duff led Whirlwind and Cynder to the birch woods along the lakes, with some parts cleared away for the park. There were a few benches and play areas around, including some wooden forts. It was a cozy little place, where anyone who wanted to could relax in spite of the cold. Cynder found some squirrels to chase, and Whirlwind stalked closely behind her. When the dark purple dragon crept by a birch tree with its branches sagging with snow, Whirlwind snuck up and kicked the trunk, dropping the snow on top of her. Cynder jumped back with a yelp, shaking the snow off.
"Hey! That's not fair!" Cynder shouted.
"All's fair in the art of war, didn't you know that?" Whirlwind smirked cheekily.
Duff only followed behind them- at this point, his exhaustion was setting in from having walked all over that day. Still, he couldn't help but smile at their playfulness. It was nice to know that they were enjoying themselves, at least.
"Perhaps you two will be fierce competitors in our weekly snowball fight," Duff noted.
Cynder perked up. "Weekly snowball fight?" she asked.
"Indeed, it's one of our proudest traditions. Every week, the whole community gathers here to participate in one large snowball fight. Everyone is welcome to participate, even visitors."
"That sounds like fun. When is it?"
"Just a few days from now, so make sure to prepare."
Cynder scooped up some know and chucked it at Whirlwind, who hopped out of the way of the attack. The dark purple dragon scoffed, going, "Just you wait, Whirlwind, I'm going to get back at you for this during the snowball fight."
"Can't wait to see you try," Whirlwind teased her, brushing her with her feathery wings.
Someone shouted after them. The group turned around to see Sunburn and Hex walking down the path toward them. Hex held a rolled up rug under her arms, carefully handling it among the snowy trees. Duff and the others walked up to them, waving excitedly.
"You're back!" Whirlwind cheered. "Did everything work out?"
"Yeah, we managed to pick out a nice rug that didn't cost too much, even with our combined funds," Sunburn beamed.
Hex carefully unraveled the rug. It was a golden color, with a snowflake pattern combined in various different colors of red and blue.
"Wow, that's gorgeous!" Cynder gasped.
Hex slowly rolled the rug back up, replying, "Isn't it? Somehow we got a discount on it and everything. Perhaps we could use it to replace the one in Sunburn's favorite sitting room. It's certainly seen better days. I believe we should take this one somewhere safe so we can get it ready for the Citadel."
"Do you want to go to the lodge?" Whirlwind asked. "Master Eon called up one place in advance to let them know we wanted to stay there, so they should be expecting us."
"I believe that would be best. We can drop the rug off and then continue on for lunch."
"Let's do that, then."
The group started making their way out of the park, with Duff and Whirlwind leading the way. Pleasant chatter filled the air as they went along, and Duff found himself pleased with how happy everyone was. So far, they were enjoying their experience.
"Hey Hex, we should team up for the big snowball fight they're going to have here," Cynder told the elf. "I need to get back at Whirlwind for a mean trick she pulled on me."
"I'll take you up on that," Hex smirked- the first one she'd made this whole time. She then turned to Duff, that smirk fading.
"What do you want from me?" Duff asked worriedly.
"I was just thinking," she continued, "that you ought to get some rest when you're done leading us around today. You shouldn't work yourself too hard."
Well that was certainly a weird thing to come from her.
The rest of that day went by without incident. Duff led them to their lodge, then to another restaurant for lunch. The day concluded back at the park, where they found that a play was being held. Everywhere Duff could, he made sure the staff gave Whirlwind and her friends special treatment. He still couldn't let go of those conflicting feelings he had over his task. As the day went on, he grew more guilty with how he used the people in his community, manipulating the same shame he felt over their prior treatment of Whirlwind. But he couldn't let Whirlwind and her friends have a bad time here. They would certainly think poorly of Winter Keep if that happened.
There was certainly no way Duff could fess up if he wanted to, either. If Whirlwind knew how despicably he'd acted, she'd see him- and by extension, Winter Keep- as irredeemable.
"I think that's about everywhere in Winter Keep," Duff told them as they left for the lodge. "If you need anything else from me on your trip, don't forget to call me."
"Thank you, Duff," Whirlwind smiled at him. "We'll see you later."
That smile made him feel ill. He absolutely didn't deserve it.
Mercifully, the second-in-command allowed him to take the next day off, telling him to relax in preparation for the weekly snowball fight. Duff was glad for the break- he had been absolutely exhausted leading Whirlwind's group around, and he didn't think he could stand another long day of work. He spent his day off sleeping, with a little bit of time sitting by the fire with a book. It was during that time when he heard a knock on the door of his cabin. Duff got up to open it, finding Whirlwind at his doorstep.
Her brow was furrowed in concern, and she gingerly scraped her claws on the welcome mat to kick the snow off. Immediately, Duff found himself concerned.
"What is it, Whirlwind?" Duff asked her, stroking his braided beard.
"There was something I noticed while I was out with my friends today," Whirlwind muttered. "I decided to go back to that furniture store that Sunburn went into, thinking I might find a nice blanket there. The store owner gave me a bigger discount on that than Hex and Sunburn got on their rug."
Oh no. "I-I see," Duff muttered.
" 'Maybe we should have invited you along to buy the rug', Sunburn joked afterward. And yeah, it was kind of funny at the time. But then at lunch we noticed how small our bill was at the restaurant we went to. The place we ate at was pretty pricey, too."
"Mm-hmm."
"And when we went skiing, the whole mountain seemed barren of others trying to ski as well. It was like the staff reserved it just for us."
"That… seems kind of weird."
"I have to ask, Duff. Are we being given special treatment?"
There it was. By the Ancients, what could Duff say at that moment? If he told the truth, she'd hate him forever. And he would never be able to let go of the shame of letting her down all that time ago. But then there was even more shame in continuing the lie. If he admitted his guilt right now, he could be rid of this whole mess.
"I… I don't know," was all he could say.
"Ah, what am I saying? Even just thinking that way is rather silly," Whirlwind sighed, shaking her head. "Yet somehow, I just can't let it go. Maybe it has something to do with the upcoming snowball fight? Yeah, that could be it."
Duff touched a finger to his chin, biting his lip. "What makes you think that?"
"The big snowball fights are your people's greatest tradition, and I know Cynder was really excited to take part. I know it's not my place to worry about stuff like that, but what if your people give us special treatment at the big event? What if they go easy on us because we haven't done it before?"
That could very well happen. Now that she mentioned it, Duff couldn't help but worry about it, too.
"Well, I guess I shouldn't bother you about it if there's really nothing weird going on," Whirlwind decided, shuffling to the side. "Just… if you could remind everyone that my friends and I are here for a break and only that. We may be Skylanders, but we're also regular people, too."
With that, she took off, flying into the clouds. Duff watched her go, his feet firmly glued where he stood. The chill hardly fazed him. Had he really stooped so low? Were they at Winter Keep really going to throw their traditions away to appease their guilt? There was no way he could let that happen.
This charade had to end, and Duff was going to make sure it did.
Duff went to the Guards' Stronghold early the next morning. The big snowball fight would be happening the day after, and if he was going to save their tradition, he had to act as soon as possible. He waited in the halls, looking for their current leader. After a while, Duff spotted him talking with a few other Guards, and hurried on over to them.
"Excuse me, sir, can I have a word with you for a moment?" Duff asked him.
The current leader was taller than Duff, perhaps slightly less muscular, but still quite imposing. He dismissed the other two Guards, who walked away with pallid expressions on their faces. Duff watched them leave, dread growing in his gut.
"What were you talking with them about?" Duff asked.
"I had some tasks for the upcoming snowball fight that I wanted them to complete," the current leader said matter-of-factly. "I probably have a few more to give to the other Guards as well, when I find them."
Duff noticed that his hands started shaking. He folded them behind his back, hoping that his current leader wouldn't notice how nervous he was. "Do you have any for me?" he asked. "Since I'm here right now?"
"I suppose," the current leader replied. "It has to do with the Skylanders that are visiting us right now. The snowball fight is our people's grandest tradition, and we need to ensure that our guests experience it warmly. So what I would like you to do is go around town and ask everyone-"
"-To go easy on them?"
The current leader stepped back slightly, apparently taken off guard. "So you've guessed it already," he nodded. "Well as you know, Duff, the snowball fights can be pretty brutal around here, not to mention hectic given that the entire town participates. We need to ensure that our guests have an enjoyable first experience, and they might not have one if we go all out."
"But sir, wouldn't going all out be more authentic? It's how we usually do it, and it would be a good showcase for our visiting friends."
"Given our history with those 'friends', I'm not sure we can afford that."
He really was adamant in this, wasn't he? Duff had to take a stand now, to ensure that their traditions weren't cast away. He took his arms out from behind his back, clenching his fists at his side. He stood as straight as he could, ensuring that his current leader knew how serious he was.
"I'm afraid I can't do that, sir," Duff grumbled.
His current leader crossed his arms. "And why is that?" he hummed, a frown forming on his face.
"Because I'm sick of making favors for them. I'm sick of forcing the shopkeepers and business owners to give them discounts just to ensure that they have a good time. And to do all of that to appease our guilt? I've been looking after the Skylanders for a while, and I can tell you that my guilt isn't going away. It's only gotten worse since I've started doing this."
His leader raised an eyebrow at him.
"And how much longer are we going to keep it up, anyway? What happens if next time more Skylanders show up? Are we going to bend over backwards to appease them, too? What happens if we somehow offend our fox or dirt shark neighbors? Are we going to do this for them as well? We can't possibly keep doing this. There's no honor in doing this. It doesn't undo the damage we did."
"And what do you propose we do instead? What do you think we should do in order to fix our mistakes?"
Duff let out a sigh, letting his body relax. "We can't go back and fix our mistakes," he determined. "What's done is done, and there's no undoing it. What we can do is be honest with ourselves, admit our mistakes, apologize to those we've hurt, and move on and forward. That's how we can truly heal."
His current leader scoffed, hanging his head low. "You really think it's that easy, do you?" he sighed.
"It's easier than living a lie," Duff insisted. "It's easier than suppressing yourself on the off chance you hurt someone. I'm sorry, but I can't do what you ask. If you insist on having me do this, I'm going to fight back against it. I'm going to get the other Frost Elf Guards and I'll tell them to fight back against it. I'll tell Avril what you're doing when she gets back, and she probably won't be very happy about it."
"You make a compelling case, Duff. I'll see what I can do."
With that, his current leader turned around and went on his way. Duff hoped that he really took his words to heart. He walked over and leaned against the wall, letting out a sigh. At the very least, he could feel some of the stress melt away. Perhaps now he could really start overcoming his guilt.
The day of the snowball fight arrived, and everyone in town was gathering at the park to prepare. Duff noticed a few people practicing, pelting snowballs at each other with great speed and accuracy. He couldn't help but smile. It appeared like everyone was getting their old spirits back.
Indeed, his current leader had stuck to his word. Just before the snowball fight, he gathered the Guards into a big meeting, explaining that they had to ensure that the fight was true and authentic to how they usually have it. He asked them to go around town and instruct everyone not to go easy on the visiting Skylanders, promising that being authentic was more important than continuing with this quest for atonement. From the looks of things in the park, everyone took it quite well.
Duff turned around to find the Skylanders hurrying toward the park, wearing scarves and other kinds of winter gear. He waved at them, and they hurried over to where he was.
"You guys are more dressed up than you usually are," Duff chuckled. "Doesn't Portal magic offer a resistance to the cold?"
"We thought we'd get into the spirit of the event," Whirlwind insisted. "It's a lot more fun to throw snowballs when you're dressed to do so."
"I can't wait to get started!" Cynder chirped, hopping up and kicking some snow about. "I'm not holding anything back, so you better not hold anything back, either!"
Duff looked at her in confusion. "What would make you think I'd do that?"
"Considering that everyone else has been giving us special treatment, it stands to reason that you might as well," Hex noted, arms crossed. "Of course, you probably had a hand in it, as well."
They knew he'd helped get them special treatment. Of course there was no way they didn't notice.
"I… I hope you can forgive me," Duff sighed. "I feel absolutely dreadful doing all of that."
"Already forgiven," Sunburn promised. "As long as you don't do it again."
"Of course. You have my word."
Whirlwind walked up to him, eyes cast with sympathy. "We were talking with a few of the townspeople on our way over," she began. "Some of them mentioned how guilty they felt when I first came here, when they refused my offer to help them. Do you feel the same way, Duff?"
Duff stroked his beard. "We all do. You were only trying to help, and we pushed you away."
"I was never mad at you or your people. Frustrated, maybe. But all I wanted to do was to help bring light back to your home, and I did. It took some work, but we made it happen. I've already forgiven all of you. I think now, you need to forgive yourselves."
"That's a hard process. But as for myself, I think I've made an important first step."
Whirlwind smiled at him. "Good. That's what I like to hear."
A Guard ran up to Duff, his ears and nose tipped red with a chill. "Duff, have you seen our current leader anywhere?" he asked.
"I think I saw him at the center of the park, getting ready for the snowball fight," Duff said, scratching behind his ear. "What did you need?"
"A few of us were gathering the last few townsfolk to get them to the park, and we saw Avril's ship fly toward the dock."
Whirlwind hopped up excitedly. "Avril's coming back!?" she gasped. "That would be great! I've been eager to see her again!"
"I thought she was going to be away for at least a little while longer," Duff mused.
"Perhaps she didn't want to miss the snowball fight," the Guard shrugged with a smile.
Sunburn ran up to Whirlwind, playfully scuffing the snow around. "Maybe we can see her together," he smirked. "I'll race you, Whirlie."
Whirlwind frowned, flicking her feathers. "I'd rather not."
In a moment, Sunburn vanished in a blast of fire, leaving nothing but ash and melted snow behind. Whirlwind huffed, kicking snow into the puddle. She stretched her wings out, taking to the air. Perhaps their race was commencing after all.
"C'mon Hex, let's go set up a base!" Cynder cheered, skipping ahead.
"I'm right behind you," Hex smiled, floating closely behind.
Duff laughed once more, taking the Guard to his side and moving along. They ought to tell the second-in-command that Avril was back so they could delay the snowball fight for her. Indeed, everyone was in high spirits, and Duff enjoyed that immensely.