I have FINALLY completed this chapter. I revised it multiple times until I was satisfied with the results. Only took me two years, but it's here. It took a shorter time than the prologue chapter.
I did not forget about this story. Like I said in my previous chapter, I tend to take a bit time with writing. It doesn't help that I work four 10hr days and I come home DRAINED.
I am looking for remote work though. I'm falling apart mentally and physically where I am now. I'm hoping I can find something within writing since it's something I enjoy doing. We'll see.
As I'm posting this, I'm working on the next chapter. As usual, it will take me some time as my story isn't fully in canon yet. I hope I don't confuse you guys with this chapter. A good amount of info pops up in this as well as two very dear old friends.
When it comes to pairings... I might not change them. Some may be weird, but they worked in a way. Meliodas and Elizabeth were meant to be, in my opinion. Diane and King are beautiful together and I definitely don't want to change that. Zeldris and Gelda are adorable together and will stay as such.
With Portea, it's hard. I would love to pair her with someone, but right now, I don't think a pairing will work with this story. At least, not right now. She is more focused on having her friends and family alive and safe. Besides, this might not be the only world she'll live in. I've read many books and watched many shows as well.
Anyway, I believe I should stop babbling and let you guys continue the story. You guys did wait over two years after all.
I do not own Harry Potter or the Seven Deadly Sins. They belong to J.K. Rowling and Nakaba Suziki respectfully.
Chapter 1
The Fairy King's Forest: The Preparations
Seven Years Later...
1st Pov: Portea
I opened my eyes to the sounds of my Big Brother's footsteps coming into our cave. Based on how heavy his steps sound, he got a big haul this time.
I should clarify what I mean by that phrase. My brother is a known bandit named 'Bandit Ban'. I know, unoriginal, right? The people are the laziest when it comes to naming thieves. They're only serious when it's someone they find a true threat to themselves, which I find insulting on his behalf. My brother can be dangerous if he wants to be. He keeps it low for my sake though. Doesn't want anyone to hold a grudge big enough to follow him and find me. Might make things messy if that happens.
Anyway, I get up from my bed and stretch out my arms to get more feeling into them. I slept quite a bit longer than I usually do. That's not a good sign, for this means my body is trying to prepare me for something in the near future. Oh well, I'll just have to wait and see. If anything serious was going on, Bàs will let me know. Hopefully.
"Hey squirt, I'm back!" he called out while heading for our unlit hearth, smirking over at me after putting the sack he had over his shoulder onto the ground. He patted off any dirt he had on his jacket and trousers. Makes it easier for me to clean it when I do the laundry.
His clothing and armor are fairly simple. He has on a long-sleeved orange cropped jacket with the hems green and a plaid pattern. Just like the old man, he told me once. My brother doesn't like to wear shirts though, so he's bare-chested under the open jacket. His trousers are a matching orange with the green plaid design on a flap at the top towards his back. Tied around his hips is a violet sash. I never see him use it, so I'm assuming it's just there for style, the weirdo. His shoes are the same design and coloring as his clothing, but with the plaid green all around the shoes, and the heel and sole are the only parts that are orange. The only pieces of armor on him are a vambrace on his left arm and poleyns and greaves on his right leg. All the pieces are lighter green than the parts on his clothing. His three-section staff is sheathed on the underside of his sash.
"Welcome back, Big Brother," I called back cheerily, hopping off my bed and running up to him for a hug. He opened his arms to catch me and hug me in return. My brother is unfairly tall, so he has to stoop a little low to pick me up for the hug. Don't get me wrong, I'm not ridiculously short or anything like that. Since I'm only seven years old, I'm not going to be crazy tall. Though my brother told me I am taller than average so I guess that's a good thing for me.
I looked at him and since I'm in his arms, I can look straight at him instead of looking up and possibly hurting my neck.
"What did you get this time? It looks quite full."
He put me down and ruffled my hair. "Why don't you look and see?"
I pushed his hand away with a small pout, but I didn't bother fixing my hair since I'd just gotten out of bed. I'll do it later when I get ready for the day. I just went to the sack and started to rummage through the stuff inside. Some things looked promising for later.
"Wow, you got some good stuff this week!"
"That's nothing compared to your gift," he spoke to me, reaching for something that seemed to be strapped to the back of his sash around his waist. He pulled out what appeared to be a sheathed blade and handed it to me.
I unsheathed the blade to examine it. The blade is about forty centimeters long and ten centimeters wide and thins out going to the tip of the blade. The material doesn't seem to be steel. The hilt is a curved cross shape made out of the same material as the blade. The grip is made from a dark leather strap. The blade had a good weight to it as well. I wouldn't struggle to hold it for a long period. I look up at him.
"You got me a blade?" I asked him. Eyes shining with happiness.
"Of course, I did. And not just any type of blade. I got you a short sword. This type of blade will be easier for you to hold and handle whenever you need to defend yourself. I'm not always around to help you and I don't think it's smart to rely on Bás all the time. You never know if someone can sever your link to them one day or something like that."
"You're right, Big Brother. It's happened before" I inform him with a nod, not thinking of what I just said.
"'It's happened before'?" He repeated, looking at me with narrowed eyes.
Oops! I should have paid more attention to our conversation. Getting a present always makes me blurt things without thinking. I glance at him nervously.
"When was this?" He asked me this with a calm tone, but his body language tells me that he is anything but calm.
"In my first life," I answered him slowly, knowing that he wouldn't let it go. "It was one of the first memories that came to me when I turned five. I was around twenty years old and I went to a park with my godson, Teddy. Some wizards attacked us out of nowhere. I was able to call some of my friends to help me protect the people around me, but I ended up getting captured and taken to the wizards' hideout. They were lower-ranked Death Eaters of the Dark Wizard I defeated. They wanted to get vengeance for his demise. They tortured and starved me for five weeks if I remember correctly. It was lucky for me that as the Mistress of Death, I didn't have to eat or drink if I didn't want to. I did out of politeness, of course. It has been a long time since that time."
"You didn't have to eat? How come you eat now then?"
"I'm in a new body, brother. I will be growing up to a certain point. I must eat while I'm growing up. Once I reach my teens, whether it's my fifteenth or seventeenth birthday, I will stop aging and I won't have to eat or drink anything ever again. I would still do it because I enjoy tasting different foods and drinks. Now, where was I? Oh, that's right I was captured.
"They also did experiments on me. It was no secret that I survived the Death Curse twice over, and ever since then, I did not age past my seventeenth birthday. Bàs explained this to you before when I was a baby, didn't they?"
Ban shook his head. "They only told me of the people's view of you and the 'corruption within', or something like that."
"Oh. I guess I should explain more of my first life to you then?"
"You don't have to tell me all of it. Just the important bits would be enough."
So, I did. I told him about the childhood I never truly experienced. The fame I didn't feel I deserved for something my mother did. The education that I never really completed. The war the children my age and younger had to be in, though we shouldn't have had to. The sacrifice I made for them. The world that never truly acknowledged me as my own person, but as an object, they could parade around. How some accomplishments were praised, but all failures were met with anger and suspicion.
"I never got to live a peaceful life back then, Brother. I always had to watch my back. The few friends and family that I had left were dwindling one by one until they were all gone. They even killed little Teddy. He was only eight years old at the time. He didn't have a chance to experience the peaceful school life I worked so hard for all the children to have.
"That's when I decided to stay in my home and study for a time. Not for the fear of the people hurting me, but because of my rage against them for taking everything from me and for destroying everything I died for. Sure, I could talk to my family and friends' spirits because of the stone, which would never leave me alone, but I couldn't touch them. I couldn't join them either, for I could not die. Bàs told me he could never take my soul, for I was his Mistress. So, I stayed home for a while to keep calm and not give in to my rage. I may not have held any love for the people anymore, but some deserved the chance to live happily. The children are what kept me back from that ending. The future of the world would always be the children.
"When it was my seventieth birthday, I decided I studied enough and started traveling the world with Bàs. I wanted to see more of the world I lived in. It was beautiful. All the trees and animals were a sight to behold. There were many kind people as well. The journey helped my heart quiet from the rage within, and I began to know peace."
"Bàs told me your world died. What did he mean by that?" my brother asked.
"I'm going to tell you about that. You just have to be patient."
I took a deep breath. This part of the story isn't the greatest after all.
"About 430 years into my journey, I was staying in a forest, in a country called China, when I noticed that the trees weren't as bright as before and that the animals were fewer. They were all dying before my eyes. Concerned, I went back to one of the villages close to the forest, and, to my horror, all the people were either dead or dying. The world was dying right before my eyes. I asked Bàs if there was anything I could do to heal this. They explained to me that the humans of the world grew too corrupted and poisoned it. It all started in the Wizarding World, of course."
My brother scoffed at this. "Of course."
I smiled at his remark and continued with my tale.
"The world was one big provider of magic. The wizards' corruption was poisoning that magic. They were blind to this because they never looked for the signs of the world wilting all around them. Since the magic was poisoned so badly, the world slowly stopped producing magic. That's when it started dying at a faster rate.
"The wizards didn't notice the change for a few years. When people started getting sick and they couldn't cure it, they started to panic. Many remedies were able to cure everything in the Wizarding World. They tried as many as they were able, but nothing worked. After that, people were dying. They all started to despair. Was there any other way to find a cure or were they all doomed? Desperate, they looked into as many books as possible. Even books that were banned from their eyes because of all the forbidden magics inside them.
Finally, they find a book about me. That World forgot I was still alive because they started considering me a Dark Lady. There was only a book or two that spoke about me being immortal, but the wizards were willing to find anything to help them and looked through those books. Since the person who wrote one of those books was one of my dear friends, I agreed to do a mini-interview for her book. I think that book was the only book with true information about me. The ministry in the British branch of that world banned her book for 'false information' and took it off the shelves. I think the Department of Mysteries and Hogwarts were the only places left that had that book.
Once the wizards found the book, Bàs informed me that they started looking for me in hopes that I could save them as I did centuries ago. I knew I could not because I wasn't able to change the world. Especiallyin that world.I learned that very early on in life."
"What do you mean? Why would they think you could change the outcome of the world?" my brother asked. It's a good question. Both are easy and difficult to answer.
"Well, I told you. I died for them. My death was a turning point for their World. They thought since I died once, I could die for them again. My death would be a sacrifice and revive the world." I shook my head. "They didn't get any wiser over the centuries."
"Did they find you?"
"It took them a few years, and more deaths, but yes, they found me. They tried to convince me to return to their World. Saying it was my duty to save them with my sacrifice. I told them what I learned long before that mess started. 'I cannot change what will happen. I may be the Mistress of Death, but I am not the ruler of this word. Whoever that ruler is, they have dubbed this world forfeit.' Suffice to say, they did not want to listen to the truth. They started demanding I return. I refused, telling them I was not a part of that World anymore. They tried to take me by force. Bàs, furious with how the wizards were treating me, took me away to the Realm of the Dead. They stated to me that I was to wait out the demise of Earth in their realm. I didn't argue. I was tired after the confrontation, but I informed them that I was a part of that Earth for hundreds of years. No matter how sorrowful, I had a right to see what became of it. Bàs agreed and let me witness the end of that world. The world I both loved and hated, gone after another 1500 years. Nothing but dust was left."
I stopped my tale as I felt tears come to my eyes. No matter how much I did not care for the wizards anymore, the rest of that world was precious. It didn't deserve to die because of the corruption and greed the people within it had, but it did.
I felt my brother's arms wrap around me in a tight embrace. I blinked, surprised at this, and focused on his face. His expression was hard for me to decipher, but I will assume it to be sadness. Maybe some anger as well.
"Let it out, 'Tea," he murmured to me. "It's okay for you to still be upset about your previous world. I would be surprised if you weren't."
After his words, my emotions broke free, and I sobbed into his shoulder. He rubbed my back and, occasionally, whispered comforting words into my ear.
I'm thankful for having a sibling in this life. Being alone would have been too difficult here. Of course, I did have other companions, but circumstances caused us to part for now.
With the parents I was born to being so uncaring when I was a baby, I was glad when I saw him. My brother, Ban. Now named Bandit Ban. I think it's hilarious.
"You don't have to tell me anymore. You are here in this world now. With me. We'll make it through this world together for as long as we live."
I pulled back from the hug and looked back at him sadly. "Brother, I know Bàs told you this part of the role as Mistress of Death. I will stop aging at the time I died on my previous Earth, in my teens maybe even younger. I cannot die anymore for they could not take my soul. You will leave me one day. Whether from old age or a battle, you will not always be by my side forever."
He looked horrified by my declaration for a bit. Then, he became furious.
"So, you're gonna end up alone again? That's just stupid! What's the point of you being reborn into a family if I'ma just die-off?" He started pacing in front of me with a furious scowl on his face, muttering rapidly under his breath. I just watched from where I was, worried about what he will do. Suddenly, he stopped pacing and looked at me with a determined expression.
"The Fountain of Youth."
I blinked, surprised at the change. "What?"
"The Fountain of Youth!" he repeated. "Zhivago told me about it when I was just a little squirt like you."
"Hey!"
He ignored my indigenous outburst and came to kneel in front of me, excited by his epiphany.
"We can travel to The Fairy King's Forest so I could drink from the fountain. That way I can live forever with you!"
I stared at him dumbly for a beat. Then, a hopeful smile spread across my face. "You mean it? You'll live with me forever?" I frowned. "What if you start getting bored of it? Praying for death to embrace you? Or fall in love with someone? I don't want you to suffer that pain if it comes to pass."
He scoffed, waving his hand carelessly. "I don't know about the love part, but that other stuff won't happen. You know why?"
"Why?"
He smiled at me. "I'll be with you, of course. Maybe something good will become of my life one day. Besides having you as my kid sister, of course. Even if I find a girl, I'm not gonna ditch you. You're my only family and we gotta stick together. If I don't live forever, or at least for a long time, I'll never find out."
Now it was my turn to initiate a hug. I couldn't believe it. My brother was going to find a way to stay with me! I won't be alone!
"But before we do that, we gotta train you in that gift of yours."
I pulled back with a determined expression on my face.
"I'm ready when you are."
"Great! We'll start tomorrow morning, so make sure you get a good amount of rest tonight. For now, let's have some lunch. It's already past noon."
He then looked at me with a smirk on his face. "I think that was more than just the important details, 'Tea."
I laughed.
My brother woke me up an hour past dawn to begin our day. We had a light breakfast of some bread and eggs with a cup of lavender tea. No matter what world I'm in, tea is one of the best drinks. Second to water, of course.
Once we were done with our morning meal, we went outside of our cave to begin training.
All I have to say about the training is that my brother is a slave driver. We began with some stretches. 'So you don't pull any muscles' he tells me. After the stretches, I just wanted to lay on the ground and sleep for a week.
"Get up, 'Tea. It's time for you to learn how to wield your short sword." He held up a small branch of about the same size as the sword. "We'll use this, so you don't accidentally hurt yourself."
I groaned and got up from the floor. I didn't even notice that I fell to the ground. Once I was up, I headed to where he was standing, dragging my feet and preparing for the next round of torture that was sure to come. He chuckled at my dramatics.
"Take this," he handed me the branch. "Now I want you to copy the stance I do, okay?" I nodded my head.
He then proceeded to stand with his right foot a step forward and his left foot back. His right arm with the hand that holds the blade is slightly close to his torso and his left is forward in front of him, hand open. His knees are bent and his torso slightly curves.
I tried to mimic his movements, but I don't have the proper balance for the form. He came over and started moving my limbs to the proper positions. My left arm too forward, my right arm is too low, and my legs are too stiff, which could cause me to fall.
"It wasn't bad for a first try, but we'll have to keep practicing just this stance until you get it right."
"Okay, Big Brother. I understand," I told him. In my head, I let out a tired sigh. This was going to be a long day.
Two week later...
3rd Pov:Ban
"Well, you got the beginning stances down so now it's time for you to learn some of the different movements and difficult fighting stances to use with the sword. I'm going to show some of the ones I learned a while back, okay? Watch carefully," Ban instructed Protea. She nodded in response.
Ban proceeded to get into the beginning stance that he first taught her. Then, he started moving to the more advanced movements. He had a feeling she would be able to get this quickly, so he included a few of the complicated moves he knows.
Protea watched him closely so she could get this right as quickly as possible. If she can get the training completed quickly, they would be able to head out as soon as possible.
1st Pov:Protea
He's so fast! I thought he would mostly be a blur moving in front of me. For some reason though, I can see him just fine. I'll have to tell him after training today. It's most likely nothing bad to worry about. I know he could see this speed so I should be okay.
I focus back on my brother and saw he finished the demonstration.
"Alright, are you ready to try some of them out?" he asked me.
"Yes!" I replied excitedly. I can't wait to try them. They didn't look too difficult, even with the speed he used. Hopefully, I get them right though or he might make fun of me.
3rd Pov:Ban
She's a natural, Ban thought in surprise and pride. Protea was moving flawlessly and at the same speed, he did, maybe even faster. That's just incredible. Especially at her current age. At least I know she will be able to defend herself when we head out. He smirked as he thought this.
Just as he thought that he hears a thud. He looked back at her and saw she had fallen on her face with her hands thrown in front of her. She lifts her head up and quickly shouted out "I'm okay!" causing him to sweat drop. She may be a natural, but she's still a kid after all. She'll make mistakes.
"Done!" he heard and looked to see she was looking at him. Her breathing was only slightly uneven, and she had just a bit of sweat on her forehead.
"Alright, great job 'Tea. Besides the fall you had, you didn't have that many mistakes with the stances, which is great. Now I want you to do those stances five more times, then you're done for the day. I'll go begin dinner in the meantime."
"Okay," she replied, beginning with the stances once again.
Ban nodded and went to prepare their meal.
While he was preparing their dinner, he started thinking about their time here at this cave. I wonder if she wishes she could meet other kids her age. She has always been here for the past seven years. Maybe she's getting tired of just seeing my mug all the time. He looked over at her and saw she was concentrating on the stances, just as instructed. She's already fixed some of the mistakes she made earlier. He shook his head and smiled. Nah. If that were the case, she would have talked to me about it. She's not afraid to tell me what's on her mind. Even if she knows I'm not gonna like it.
Ban decided not to worry about his doubts and to finish up their dinner.
Later that day...
1st Pov:Protea
Just as I finished the last set of stances, Ban called out that dinner was ready. I was tired after six stances back-to-back, but it's not surprising. I am only seven years old. My body can't handle too much exercise just yet. If I do it every day, for maybe an hour or two, I will adjust my body to it. I'll just take a warm bath, so I won't be too sore tomorrow. For now, I head back to the cave.
I head to our small lake within the cave to wash my hands and face. I think living in a cave is awesome. We have water, can grow some foods and, best of all, nobody bothers us: besides Bàs of course.
Once I'm finished with that, I head to our little hearth to eat. Ban already grabbed my bowl and spoon, so I just needed to fill it with the dinner my brother made.
"What did you make today, Brother?" I asked him. I don't remember him catching anything today, but I lost track of him while doing my stances.
"I made us some rabbit stew. I went to the traps while you were training and saw two of them. Enjoy your meal. I have a surprise for you after this."
He caught my attention with that, but I didn't want to rush my meal, or else I'd get a belly ache. If that happens, I wouldn't be able to have the dessert I suspect he brought me. I also wanted to take my time with this meal. I'm starting to feel the after-effects of my training. I'll just savor the meal and let the warmth of it soothe me.
Fifteen minutes later, we both finished our meals and washed our bowls and spoons in the basin we've had for a long time.
"Okay, we finished our meals. What did you bring me?" I asked him, somewhat eagerly. Bouncing on my side of the hearth.
He chuckled at my antics. "Okay, just calm down, squirt. I'll go get it."
He went to the sack of goods he brought yesterday and pulled out a box about the size of my head. I didn't touch it because I thought it was something he used for his 'jobs' and didn't want to break it. He brought it to me and put it on my lap.
Once it was on my lap, I practically pounced on it. I quickly opened the box, and the most wonderful smell came out of it. I looked up at Ban. "You brought me a pastry?"
He looked away from my face and scratched the back of his head. "Well, it's been a while since I brought you any sweets, so I thought 'why not get her one for her birthday and so I got it."
"This is almost better than the short sword, brother. I'm so happy right now."
He laughed at my declaration and ruffled my hair.
"Stop doing that!" I whined. I don't want knots in my hair!
"Okay! Okay! Geez, you little brat."
I looked down at the pastry. It looked like there were pieces of fruit inside of it. "What kind of pastry is this? There's a lot of fruit inside of it."
"I think it's called fruitcake. Based on how pissed off the man I took this from was, I'm wagering on this being expensive."
"Wow, fruitcake! I sort of remember this type of dessert. Only the wealthy can afford it because some of the fruits inside are expensive. Also, it could be preserved for quite a bit of time. Maybe that's why that man was angry. It was probably that last of his pastry. In my old world, this was used mostly at Christmas time or Yule."
"Really now? Why's that?"
I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know, it was a tradition for some reason. They gave it the name 'Christmas Cake' and it just stuck."
"Weird place, that old world of yours."
"This place is even weirder, brother. By a large degree."
He just shrugged his shoulders, picking at his ear "Eh. I'll take your word for it."
I split the piece of cake and held one up to him. "Here, try it with me. It's made with booze to make it last longer, so I think you'd enjoy it."
"Don't mind if I do!" He plucked the piece out of my hand and gave it a taste.
"It's great! I should steal this more often."
"Careful there, brother. The wealthy treat this cake higher than gold. Who knows what they would do to you if they caught you."
"Like I'd get caught."
"For my peace of mind, please be careful Ban," I cautioned him, a serious expression on my face. He studied my face, and I feared he would dismiss me again. To my relief, he nodded his head and agreed.
"Don't worry, I will"
"Besides," I continue, making him look curious. "I can always learn to make it one day. I just would need the ingredients for it. Just not now. It's not the right time."
"Got it, squirt."
With that conversation done, we finished our treat and got ready for bed.
"Did you want a story tonight?"
I nodded my head. "Yes, please."
"Alright, what kind?"
"Can you tell me the story of 'The Fountain of Youth'? I want to know more about the forest it's in before we go."
He looked at me with an amused expression.
"Alright. 'The Fountain of Youth' it is."
I got comfortable on my resting spot and looked up at him expectantly.
He sat cross-legged in front of me and began the story.
"Now I want you to know that I don't know if this is all fact. This is the same story Zhivago told me long ago."
"Who's Zhivago?" I asked him. I don't remember that name.
Ban looked surprised. "I never told you about him?" I shook my head.
"Would you rather I tell you about him tonight? I can always tell you about the fountain another time."
I nodded my head.
"Alright."
So, Ban told me about the man he considered his father-figure. Who taught him most of what he knew of thieving to survive. Watched over him as he slept. Treated him like a second son after his own. This man sounds like he was a good person to come into my brother's life.
"What's interesting is that he wasn't a man at all."
"He wasn't?"
"Nope! He was a were-fox. One of the rarest creatures of this world."
"Wow! How did you find out?"
My brother's face looks so sad as he answered me.
"It was the last day I heard from him. We planned to steal from a noble named Roxxane. I got to the place early and was waiting for him so we could do the job, but he was running late. I decided to do the job on my own to impress him, but I screwed up and got caught. I called for him many times, but he never showed. I did hear some of the knights exclaiming about a were-fox running away and put two and two together. Just before that, I had heard the knights talking about hunting a young were-fox in the mountain and Zhivago told me that's where he would leave his son to keep him safe."
"Anyway, I ended up captured and taken to Aberdeen Prison to serve time. I never blamed Zhivago for that. It was my own fault and his son needed him more. I just hope he made it in time to save his son."
"I can ask Bàs or call for the souls myself, if you want to know," I tell him with a yawn.
He looked at me shocked. "You can talk to the dead?"
"I told you this before already, brother."'
"Oh yeah, whatever. You can call them another time. You're tired and should sleep."
"Okay. Goodnight, brother."
"Goodnight, 'Tea."
One Month later...
1st Pov:Protea
We are finally ready for our journey to the Fairy King's Forest. We packed dried meats and fruits, some clothing, the basin we wash our dishes in, our bedrolls, and a few more. All our supplies are stuffed in two packs Bàs provided us.
My brother started planning our trip after I told him the story of my previous life. He's determined to drink the water from the fountain so he could stay with me. I'm happy I won't be alone, but I do think he should find a companion to love besides myself. I feel he will need it. There are many people in this world. I hope he finds at least one person. He deserves to have love after all he's been through.
I won't worry about my brother's future love life for now. I have this feeling that the person he will fall in love with will be at the end of our destination.
"Are you all ready to go, 'Tea?" my brother called out to me. One of the packs is already on and holding out the other to me.
"Yes, I'm ready. Wait! We never checked to see if your father and his son are still alive."
My brother paused and thought about what I said. Then he shrugged his shoulders.
"Alright. Call on 'em. We gotta know if they have any warnings for us anyway."
"Okay." Bàs? Can you come out for a second? I have something to ask of you.
After I sent out that thought, the shadows piled onto the corner I was standing by,and out came Bàs. "What do you request of me, Little Master?" They spoke this out so my brother can hear them as well.
"I would like to inquire about two possible souls in your realm."
"I would need the names of the two souls."
I looked over at my brother. "What is the name of Zhivago's son?"
"His name is Selion. He's a were-fox," he told me quietly.
I turned back to Bàs. "Their names are Zhivago and Selion."
They nodded their head and brought their hands up and a weird mist appeared. It swirls rapidly and starts glowing brightly. Suddenly, it stopped, and a small orb came out of the mist. That sight made me cringe because usually, that orb size is that of children.
"I did not locate the soul of the being named Zhivago, I have found the one of the child named Selion. Would you like to speak with him?"
I slowly turned back to my brother. I didn't want to ask him this really because I know he heard what Bàs said, but it's sort of ceremonial. "Would you like to speak to the soul named Selion?"
My brother had his head down and his hands clenched, body shaking from an unknown emotion. I thought he was going to ignore my question and walk away, but instead, he looked at me and said, "No. He didn't know me, so I don't want to bother him. I just wanted to know if they were both alive and I guess I got my answer."
I respected my brother's decision. "No, we do not. You may return the child's soul to your realm, Bàs."
"As you wish, Young Master." The orb disappeared from their hands. "Do you need any other type of assistance?"
"Yes, we do. Do you have any advice for our journey to the forest? My brother informed me that it will take about a week and a few days to get there from here. Also, do you think you can do something to keep our cave safe? We'll be gone for quite some time, so I'm worried a passing traveler, or some bandits will invade. Animals are okay. There's plenty of space in here for them."
"The direction you will be heading is peaceful. You will not have a hard journey. Of the request for protection, I will leave a set of guards here. You will recognize them, Little Master."
I looked at Bàs with confusion. They were being vague with that response.
"Who are they, Bàs?"
They gestured to the lake.
"Why don't you turn around and see for yourself, Little Master."
I did what they suggested, and my breath was caught in my throat. There standing right at the edge of the lake were two individuals. One has bushy brown hair that goes to the middle of their back. The other has short ginger hair, only reaching their neck.
"Ron... Hermione..." I breathe out, taking a step towards them as they turn around to face me. Their faces light up in happiness.
"SAGE!" They shout out, running towards me in turn.
When we were close to each other, I jumped toward them. They caught me and we all fell to the ground. I was a sobbing mess in their arms. They just held me tightly.
"I'm sorry you g-g-guys. I couldn't keep you s-s-safe."
"Now don't go blaming yourself again, silly girl. It wasn't your fault. It was the Wizarding World's," Hermione replied with a scolding tone. There were tears in her eyes as well.
"'Mione's right, Sage. Besides, we let our guards down. We should have known they wouldn't let us have Christmas," Rom chimed in. Ruffling my hair while still hugging me.
I laughed at his words. I let go of them and wiped my eyes.
"What are you guys doing here? How can I touch you?"
"We volunteered to come here when you asked Bàs for some protection for the cave. They told us as long as we stay around the cave perimeter, we will be physical."
I looked at Bàs. "Is this true? They will remain solid?"
"As long as they stay within a mile of the cave. They will have to ask me or yourself for permission to venture further," They confirm.
"Hey 'Tea," my brother drawled out. I look over at him sheepishly. "Do you mind introducing us, or do I hafta wait until we leave for an explanation?"
"Sorry, Big Brother. These two are my best friends from my previous world. Their names are Ron and Hermione Weasley. Guys, this is Ban, my Big Brother."
"How's it going?"
"How do you do?"
"Pleased to meet ya, mate."
I blinked in confusion. They all spoke at the same time. That hasn't happened for a long time. With a smile, I started remembering the few times it did happen. Thousands of years ago when my world was still healthy and whole. I pictured them in my head. A set of mischievous twins standing in front of me with ginger hair and identical smirks on their faces and a familiar map in their hands. It changed suddenly from two to just one twin missing an ear and standing with a haunted expression, making me lose my own smile.
I must have been lost in thought for quite a bit, for I felt someone shaking my shoulder. I shook my head and looked right into my brother's concerned eyes.
"'Tea?" Ban questioned.
"Sorry about that. I was just lost in my memories."
The three of them look at me doubtfully but let it go. We didn't have time for more discussions.
"How long are you two going to be gone?" Hermione asked.
I looked toward my brother for the answer.
He thinks about it. We haven't been there before so I know it will take some time, but Ban did say that Zhivago told him the story.
"Zhivago did say the forest is close to the north towers and they are a good distance away. From Ravens, it's about a four-day journey. Since we're about a week away from there, and we don't plan to rush this journey, I'd say we might be gone for about a month or two."
"That's not as long as I was thinking," Hermione replied with a smile. "I thought that you would look at other towns meanwhile. Get trinkets for mementos. Especially you Sage. You love keepsakes from adventures."
I blush and look to the side when my brother and Ron look at me with raised eyebrows.
"Don't say such embarrassing things, 'Mione! We're on a tight schedule at the moment, so I'm sure we don't have time to stop at every town we come across. Right, Big Brother?"
"We don't have to rush "Tea. We can take small detours. Besides, you know I like to collect labels of different ale."
I think over what he said. He's correct that we aren't in a hurry since there isn't a deadline for this quest and the Fountain of Youth isn't going anywhere."
"I guess you're right, Big Brother. Maybe we can stop at the different taverns around this side of Britannia. Maybe even the others as well."
Ban laughed as I was saying this. He stopped when I continue what I was saying.
"Just not Ravens. You told me we are NEVER going there again unless we have no choice. So far, we haven't had any reason to go. Also, going to that town would make us walk farther away from the forest and I'd rather avoid that."
Ban nodded his head sharply. I believe he thinks any path is better than the one that heads there.
I look toward Ron and Hermione. They are watching the two of us with small smiles on their faces. They seem happy for me. They notice me looking and Hermione speaks up.
"We're glad you have family in this life Sage."
"Especially after what happened before," Ron continues, his smile turning sad.
I nod, feeling tears beginning to form in the corners of my eyes.
"I'm happy with my life so far. I expect my family will get bigger. Especially if I get to see my old comrades from many years ago. Some won't remember me and that would be understandable. My appearance did change drastically."
"Well, that's 'cause you chose to be reborn. It was no guarantee you would look the same," my brother said to me. He is right though.
"Who knows?" Hermione adds in. "This is a different world, Sage. You might have better luck here."
"Then again," Ron continues, a teasing tone in his voice after she stops speaking. "You still have your infamous 'Potter Luck' here. There's no telling what will happen so it's best you enjoy your time and not worry about it too much, Sage. In this world or the next, we'll be right behind you."
Ban looked confused but didn't say anything. I haven't told him everything about my past. My past in this world is hard to talk about because it's so close to my present time. 3000 or so years isn't long for me since I will live far longer than that. That's the main reason we're going on this journey. Living another millennium without anyone by my side has made me feel a sense of loneliness. I don't want that and neither do the others. Especially my brother Ban.
My eyes started tearing up again, but I was determined not to let them fall this time. I've been a crying mess way too much lately. Besides Teddy's death, I've never cried so much before. I've got to pull myself together now.
I look towards the sun, which appears to have begun to set.
"Well, it looks like we may have to begin our journey tomorrow instead, brother."
Ban looks towards the sunset as well and hums in agreement.
"I guess you're right. We were enjoying our time with your friends that we lost track of it. I guess this is fine. Like I said earlier, there is no rush. We'll head out tomorrow after our breakfast. Sounds like a plan?"
"Yes brother. It seems to be the best solution."
"I apologize if we delayed your departure," Hermione says, upset that we might have wasted time. At least, that's what I know she's thinking anyway.
"Don't worry about it 'Mione. We don't mind. It just gives me some more time to talk to the two of you. And for the two of you to get to know my Big Brother Ban."
My brother gave another hum of agreement.
"I would still like to get to know the two of you. Maybe get a few more stories of my little sister's life before she came here. I bet you both have some embarrassing ones," my brother said, while sending a smirk my way.
Based on Ron and Hermione's smirked, I must resign myself to a night of stories and endless teasing. I can't help but smile though. For I have not had this type of fun in a long time.
I go and join them by the fire pit my brother made and enjoy our evening together before we must rest for the night. Hermione and Ron don't need sleep but may do so if they wish. Knowing Hermione, she'll do so out of politeness. She'll force Ron to do it as well.
I'm happy. Truly happy. I just hope whatever this journey and destination brings does not change that. Even if it does, I will fight with everything I have to get it all back. That's a promise.
There you have it for this chapter! Posted at almost half past three in the morning in my time! (I tend to have trouble sleeping so I work on my writing ~) I live in North America, so I apologize if I confused anyone! That was not my intention with the sentence.
If you have any questions, you may put them in the review section or send me a message.
Let's hope I can get the next one out in a shorter period of time.
Well then... bye!
