Laying upon the cool meadow grass, Rosa began to stir, eyes flickering weakly as she had been in a daze after hitting the ground. She pushed herself up, using her forearms and palms to orient her body upright.
"Balder?" Her voice cracked out, trying to muster any words, her vision becoming clear as she saw the familiar field she had been in before. The portal she had fallen through had already been shut. She merely looked up into the twilight sky, her eyes squinting and straining at the clouds above. Some false hope washed over her as she hesitated a moment longer, waiting.
But nothing happened, nothing was heard or seen. Just the small breeze that passed over the meadow.
The silence had begun to instill a new fear, as she spun back around to see her arms were empty. Her little one didn't lie beneath her, nor was she within sight.
"Cereza?" Rosa chocked out, the fresh pain still grappling her. She crawled on her hands and knees a few feet ahead, looking around the tall meadow as if she would just appear. Her eyes fell upon the shambled house, the dim light of the fading sunset made it difficult for her to see it.
"Cereza!" Rosa shrieked, pushing herself back up to her feet despite her deep wounds. She began to hobble towards the house when Isabelle's silhouette appeared through the shadows of the open doorway. She looked upon Rosa with a look of pure bewilderment. Their eyes locked, Rosa's pain could be seen even from that distance.
Isabelle bolted, running to her Umbran sister's side. Rosa held her arms outstretched, wanting Isabelle's embrace as she barely kept herself standing. Isabelle clasped onto her tightly, gently bringing her closer to the disheveled building. Only a panicked breath and a rapid heartbeat are what Rosa heard from her as she came in close.
"My little one-" Rosa gasped.
"She is alive."
Rosa's legs gave from under her, and Isabelle was caught off guard. The Elder had to keep her steady, trying not to touch her wounds as she held hoisted her back up. She knew it was from relief, the words she needed to hear.
"She had just woken up, not even a few moments ago. Her body is healing, and she is conscious," Isabelle's voice was shaky, an overwhelming feeling of disbelief echoing in her words. "By the Gods, Rosa, you did it."
Rosa couldn't respond, her brain went into auto-drive as she pushed herself forward, releasing herself from Isabelle's support as she stumbled up the stairs. Her arm was brought in tightly around her stomach, putting pressure on the wound below her ribs, feeling the sticky fluid still trickle from it.
Within the dark house, small waxless candles had been lit from an incantation. Faint magical flickers were placed sporadically around in the air. Small lights that offered just enough of a luminous glow to see everything.
Placed in the center of the floor, surrounded by a bed of flowers and layers of similar blankets, lied Cereza. The little Umbra had already been taken over by Jeanne as the little girl clung onto Cereza with a vice grip.
"You're back! You made it back!" Jeanne cried.
"Jeanne! I can't breathe!" Cereza sounded excited, a cheerfulness that seemed unexpected, but she complained to her best friend as she was truly feeling more lightheaded the more Jeanne held on.
"Oh! I'm sorry!" Jeanne backed off, her little hands cuffing around her mouth as she felt guilting for inflicting any more pain onto her if she had. "It's just that I missed you so much!"
"I missed you too! I didn't think I'd ever see you again..." Cereza said, her voice dwindling to a small squeak, the obvious tears welling in her eyes. Jeanne didn't hold them back either, as she gently hugged her friend once more as the little Umbras let their tears flow.
Rosa had stopped in the doorway, heaving in whatever air she could as she looked on. A victory that had cost her, something so great that it snaked through her skin and burned her core. Overwhelming anguish that she had felt before.
"Jeanne, be gentle with her, she is still healing!" Isabelle's voice snapped from behind Rosa, as she moved into the doorway beside her. The quick sharp tone caused Jeanne to quickly recoil away from Cereza, muttering a 'yes Mummy'.
Cereza's eyes finally looked up, seeing Rosa in the doorway. Despite her injuries, Cereza began to force herself to stand up, pushing the blankets aside.
"Mummy!"
"Cereza…" Rosa closed the distance and came to her side, gently keeping her down so she would not strain herself. "Stay still, little one. Are you hurt?"
"It…" Cereza looked down, feeling the old wound over her newly fashioned attire. With Isabelle's handiwork, she managed to create a makeshift garb, as well as an entire bed with any flower they could gather within the valley.
"It still hurts a little. Mostly when I move. But it doesn't hurt as much as it did before!" Cereza said, looking up to her mother with a reassuring smile.
Through all of the pain, Rosa was able to return her smile, twitching lips indicating the tears to come. But Rosa fought them back and brought Cereza in close. The little one's warmth returned to her body, the terrible memory of her coldness was fleeting.
"What's that Cereza?" Jeanne asked, still sitting close by her side. Cereza and Rosa looked up to see what she was pointing at. Cereza followed her finger and saw she was pointing down next to her. A shimmering object reflected the candles' lights, as it was barely peeking out above the flower petals. Cereza reached down and gingerly lifted it, revealing the marble stone Lumen Sage sigil that she had clung onto. The red rosary beads were still woven around it.
"My Daddy gave it to me…"
She cuffed in her palm, both her and Rosa looking down at it.
"Is Daddy...not coming back?" The happiness that the little girl had exacerbated seemingly vanished, as a small whisper rung with sadness now returned.
"No, little one. He won't be coming back," Even Rosa did not want to believe the words she said, but there was no other way around it.
Cereza's face furrowed slightly, her brows crinkling as the little Umbra couldn't fight back her tears. She didn't say anything else to her mother, she just buried herself into her chest, keeping the sigil close to her heart. Rosa remained strong for her, knowing above all else, her scared little one needed only comfort from her now.
Isabelle came to Jeanne's side, her gentle hands placed on her shoulders to gesture her up. Jeanne quietly obeyed, watching Cereza as they stepped out of the home. The two were left to mourn as the night welcomed itself in.
Outside, the other Umbra Witches had gathered after hearing Rosa's cries. They waited patiently as Isabelle returned, Jeanne in hand. A few of the Umbra was attempting to peak through the dusty windows to see if it was true if Rosa had managed the impossible. But they quickly ceased their attempts as Isabelle drew closer.
"My Elder, is it true? She brought the child's soul back?" One whispered, her mouth hidden underneath her cloaked attire.
"Yes, it is true," Isabelle, disbelief still wrapping her voice. "The little one is fine, she is already healed back at an accelerated rate. She will be okay to move soon."
"So...does that mean she will be coming with us?" Another Umbra pipped up, hesitating.
"That will depend if Rosa chooses to come with us. But if she does, she will be welcomed back as our sister, as well as her daughter."
The other Witches looked between one another, astounded.
"My Elder, but what of the Sacred Tenant that was broken? She was banished for her crime and the child-"
"Answer me this, with your full honesty Lillian. Do you think any of that matters now?" Isabelle cut her off, a fit of sharp and dangerous anger that seemed to drip with each word.
The Umbra froze, the others looking at her with darting eyes. She stuttered over her words as she compiled her thoughts.
"I…" Isabelle waited patiently as she did, her face unmoving as her thick wavy hair blew about.
"No...I don't think it does now," Lilian answered honestly.
The others seemed to look amongst each other with a level of uncertainty. They looked for their Elder for guidance. To offer them some solitude with their situation.
"The Umbran Clan has dissipated to this...to practically nothing. But we are not completely gone. However, with what little we do have we must preserve. We will only make it through this if we remain strong together. Regardless of crimes or some tenants that were written before this calamity. There isn't even a Lumen Sage left, the balance has been toppled over to nothing."
The Umbras perked up when Isabelle reached that last sentence. She forgot she hadn't told them everything.
"The Lumen Sage is dead?" Lilian asked.
"Yes, and with him the Right Eye. I don't know what will happen now, especially since one of the Eyes is gone...I also don't know what Paradiso will do about it, or even Inferno," Isabelle said, tucking Jeanne in closer as she felt her tense up around her slender leg. "The best thing we must do now is to leave this place, and give ourselves time before rebuilding the Umbra again."
Lillian nodded with a woeful shake, the others agreed but shared a similar pain. Their discussion was disrupted when the sound of heavy footsteps approached from behind. The Umbra Witches' heads perked up with widened eyes, stepping back slightly. Isabelle quickly turned to see Rosa sluggishly stepping closer, her arm still tucked around her stomach.
"Cereza wanted to see Jeanne...she said she was feeling better," Rosa said, her voice unusually quiet and calm. Isabelle gave her a reassuring nod, as she turned to the small group of Umbras to direct them back to their guard duties. They departed without another word, never making eye contact with Rosa as they left.
Walking past the disheveled mother, Isabelle led Jeanne back into the house to see a more awake Cereza playing with a tattered cat doll. A bloodied stain still tainting its multi-colored cloth. Jeanne didn't even ask, as she unlatched herself from her mother's leg to race back to her friend's side, pulling up Charles who was hiding under a blanket where Jeanne was.
The two young girls' energies matched, as they continued talking and playing as nothing had happened. Cereza was quiet at first, still gripped with fatigue from their long strenuous journey. Isabelle couldn't help but smile, an unexpected thing to witness and find joy in.
Isabelle noticed that Rosa had not joined her. The empty space next to her pushed Isabelle to turn around to the doorway, surprised to not see her there either. With narrowed eyes, she went to investigate.
Rosa knelt down at the clearing where the portal had opened. She sat still, letting the cool breeze wash over her as the bright moon began to light up the sky. Left to her own thoughts, she kept watching the wide-open space in front of her. Expecting something to happen, but her mind kept reminding her that nothing will.
She reached into her robes for something that was beyond this realm. A hidden pocket in a magical void that she would important and personal items that no other person could reach. The void she could not reach before with the limitations of her chains. Pulling her hand back out, she withdrew a tattered, weathered feather.
A faded pearl-white peacock feather, with dulled gold details scattered throughout. Once it would emanate with magic, she remembered feeling a faint hum from it the last time she could hold it. The last magical touch she reached to Balder before her exile and his.
Now she held a dead and faded gift, acting as a reminder for both a wonderful beginning as well as a heart-wrenching end.
She brushed her fingers against it gently, careful to not disturb the twist and matted edges even more. She held it up to her ear, kicking herself thinking she would actually hear a hymn. But she just didn't want to admit it.
She began to break down, taking in sharp inhales to try and hinder any more sobs from blubbering out.
"You have every right to feel such a heavy sadness over this. No one can take that away from us. Do not let go of that."
She didn't want to cry anymore, she had already felt so weak doing so. But deep down she didn't want to deny herself this true emotion of anguish. It was only human, to feel pain. But she just wanted it to stop.
It made it all the more worse as she felt a hand come to rest on her shoulder. She knew who it was, with the familiar scent of dried blood becoming stronger as they closed. Like a dam breaking open, Rosa fell into her sorrow even further.
Isabelle enveloped her, feeling Rosa trembled and heaved underneath the Elder. Isabelle hushed her, her voice quiet and serene.
"I had felt him...when he had left," Isabelle spoke, her words faint. Rosa continued to cry, not sure if she found comfort or more sadness in Isabelle's reveal.
"The Right Eye faded, but I could sense something else...something I had never experienced before…" Isabelle pondered, bringing Rosa out of her weeping to steady her breathing.
"I thought I had felt the magic of...something grander. Something else has happened than just his soul passing on. I don't think we'll ever know for certain but…"
Rosa looked up to her, bloodshot eyes looking into a gentle one.
"He was at peace when he departed...And there was comfort."
Rosa slowly grew a smile, returning to her more calm state. She remained curled up in Isabelle's arms. An old friend's embrace helped wash away the burning anguish in her gut.
"I truly loved him. And he truly loved me. He loved Cereza so much…" Rosa trailed off, her eyes drifting with it. "Because of him, she has a chance to live. She can become just as strong and capable as us. He left me with the greatest gift he could have given me."
"Will you stay with us? When we leave this valley and travel beyond?" Isabelle asked, looking down at Rosa as she stared out into the empty field. The forlorn mother's brow furrowed slightly, as she looked up to Isabelle.
"Are you offering me a chance to return to the Umbra with my daughter?" Rosa's voice was still a hushed whisper.
"Truly, I'd be a fool if I didn't. I have already freed you of your imprisonment, and if not for you, neither myself nor anyone else would still be here," Isabelle said, loosening her grip and letting Rosa sit back up. "But it is your choice whether or not you want to stay. I know the pain we have inflicted has been harsh, to both you and your little one. I do not blame you if you don't forgive us and wish to move on. I don't have that control over you anymore."
Rosa pondered on it as her eyes diverted to the grass below, catching a glimpse of a few trails of insects crawling about. The fresh air and open space made her realize how free she truly was. She wasn't able to appreciate it through their prolonged tragedy.
"I will stay," Rosa answered, looking back up to Isabelle. The Elder looked surprised, shifting her body to the side.
"With my imprisonment I was alone. Well, not truly alone, but still very much isolated. Disconnected from my sisters and the rest of the world. To think, my eternity was going to watch everything grow and die before me. I never want to return to that. And I feel as though separating myself and Cereza would reinforce that isolation once more. And it wouldn't be fair for my little one. She does not deserve that life. Besides, Jeanne is her last true friend. It wouldn't be fair to separate them again."
Resting her hands on her knees, Isabelle smiled with the satisfying answer. Rosa could tell it was the Elder wanted to hear. Isabelle dropped her eyes to her hands, her long silver hair blowing about carelessly in the breeze.
"Jeanne has always spoken so highly of her. In my arrogance, I had always tried to keep them separated. Despite my efforts, Jeanne was just as stubborn as I, and would sneak off to play or teach her some of her own magic."
Rosa watched her eyes flutter and dim with every word, looking back on the memories fondly but also having regrets.
"I will forever be in her debt, for saving Jeanne's life. She is the most loyal Umbra anyone could ask for. And I do believe in time she will fight the Laguna without any quarrel," Isabelle looked back up to Rosa, still carrying a smile.
"The Laguna...what do you think they will do now? They were very keen on making sure Cereza's soul didn't return to the living and well...they didn't stop us," Rosa said, her eyes flickered back towards the empty space the portal had sat.
"The balance of power is toppled, nothing is right anymore. The Lumen Sages are completely wiped out along with the Right Eye, and we are the very few that remain of the Umbra. With that, both Paradiso and Inferno's power struggle with either push or...perhaps just stay the same," Isabelle wondered.
"You think they'll both stay quiet?" Rosa asked.
"Not quiet per se, but more or less the usual tussle they throw at one another. Despite our losses and the lack of the Right Eye, I believe both planes understand the importance of balance. But then again, I could be wrong. Inferno cares more about their angels that are owed, but Paradiso now has a vendetta against us, and all that is dark. If they were willing to join the clan wars and commit genocide over the birth of a half child, I do no know what will stop them now, especially since she has been resurrected."
"We will be on the run for quite some time...it will be a while until we can think about ever rebuilding the clan," Rosa said, her quiet voice barely cutting over the wind blowing.
"We will have our usual cut to give to our friends below, but we need to avoid Paradiso as much as possible...it will be a lot to think about. Perhaps, it would be better to discuss this with everyone else," Isabelle said, her head twisting back to see the few Umbra Witches on their guard, despite being well hidden under the shadow of night.
"I should get back Cereza, make sure she is doing well," Rosa said, standing up with shaky legs, her hand gripped tightly to her wound under ribs.
"Let me dress those wounds, you have carried them too long to go unattended," Isabelle said, standing to her aid whilst scrutinizer her.
Rosa chuckled a little, her ribs flared up from the laugh. She winced in response to the sudden jolt of pain.
"It all had happened so quickly...I didn't have time to think about it," Rosa said, using Isabelle's shoulder as support.
"I know," is all Isabelle said, and they finished their walk back to the house in silence. Ushering the other sisters inside, the small clan of Witches stayed close together, all the while the two young Umbra played and chatted until sleep took them. Eventually, the exhaustion caught up to the rest of them, as they finished out the night getting whatever sleep they could.
Cereza awoke in her sprawling bed of flowers. The soft petals a soothing cushion against the harsh stone floor, which let her sleep a whole night's rest without even stirring. She sat up to feel her wound, finding the pain had significantly subsided, and it was almost non-existent.
She rubbed her eyes under her glasses, squinting to look around the room. The small number of Umbra Witches were scattered about the small home, leaning up against anything they could use for resting. Despite their worse conditions, it looked to be no trouble for them to find sleep.
Amongst them, Cereza could only see Isabelle, but not her own mother. With a crinkled brow, the worried child slowly pushed the blankets back to stand up. She struggled the first time, falling back down on her bum with a hard thump. She huffed with frustration but tried again. She was able to get up and stood still as she got feeling back into her legs. She felt a little dizzy but paced herself to make sure she wouldn't fall back over again.
With the first part down, she began to take her first steps again. With Cheshire in his usual position of being clutched under her arm, she steadily wobbled towards the door. Being mindful of her footing, she tried to keep quiet, as not to disturb the others. Jeanne was still slumped over in her own bed of blankets.
Cereza stood atop the tallest step in the doorway to look out over the meadow. She didn't have to look far, as Rosa's dark silhouette against the pale green grass stuck out like a sore thumb in the faint morning sun. The light just barely peeked over the horizon, beyond the ocean's neverending mass.
Seeing her sitting down in the grass, Cereza stepped down the remaining steps to carefully make her way over to her mother. She waded through the tall grass, a few bushels of flowers were sticking up along her path. Instinctively, Cereza started to pick some as she went. She had accumulated more than a handful as she reached Rosa. Her mother's back remained turned to her, as she was preoccupied with something in front. Cereza wasn't sure if she had heard her or not, so she waited for some sort of response. She stuck her head out, trying to look over her shoulder to see what Rosa was doing.
"You're already walking again," Rosa had finished her work to turn back to greet Cereza with a warm smile. The little Umbra immediately ran up to fall into her arms. "Are you feeling better?"
"Yes, Mummy! I feel much better. It barely hurts at all!" Cereza said, struggling to hold onto both the flowers and her cat doll. Rosa chuckled as she shifted her little one in her arms all the while the flowers stuck up into her face.
Cereza was able to look down and see what Rosa had been doing. A small stack of stones had been assembled. She had flattened the grass and had carved away some of the rocks' structure to create different symbols and glyphs. With how many there were, it was no doubt she had used magic to do it. Some of the glyphs Cereza recognized as protection wards, as well as guidance within a storm, and even fortune for good luck.
And etched into the center stone, was Balder's name. With the Lumen Sage sigil inscribed below it.
Cereza looked down at her gift that remained wrapped around her neck.
"Is this...a tombstone for Daddy?" Cereza asked. She set the cluster of flowers down gently, looking back up to the carefully placed stones in front of her.
"Yes, little one. It is for your father," Rosa said, looking up at the stones. She let Cereza process her own thoughts, knowing it was all still very hard to grasp.
"Is Daddy stuck up there with the monsters?" Cereza asked, looking up at her mother.
"I...don't know what happened to him, little one," Rosa stroked her hair, her big ponytails a frizzy mess. Cereza looked back to his grave. She carefully reached down to grab the flowers and placed them in front of it.
She stayed quiet, her steady breathing is all Rosa could feel as she huddled close to her again. The two looked down on his gravesite, the solemn aura returning to them.
Cereza then looked back down to the marble sigil, her small fingers rubbing over the detailed marble.
"He was the best Daddy ever...he even showed me his Wolf," Cereza said, fixated on the marble. "And his pretty bird."
Rosa cracked a smile, pressing her forehead against Cereza.
"He was a very pretty peacock, wasn't he?" Rosa said, with a cool and calm demeanor as she soothed her daughter.
"He had so many feathers!" Cereza said, a puff of excitement in her voice. Through all of this, Rosa couldn't have been happier to see Cereza dealing with it so well. She in some ways envied her, as her sorrow still gripped her mind.
"He loved you so much little one," Rosa said, squishing her face back down into Cereza's head. "You were such a brave girl, and he was so proud of you."
The last part seemed to light up Cereza the most, Rosa could see her giddiness spark up.
"Daddy was the best angel to ever be!"
Rosa retracted her head, looking at Cereza with a furrowed brow.
"He wasn't an angel, little one."
"Not like the big monsters Mummy! Like a real angel! He was kind, brave, and super strong! He saved me and Jeanne from the big monsters, and he was always so bright. He didn't care if he got hurt, and kept on fighting. He was a real angel!" Cereza said.
The words, so innocent and pure, melted Rosa's heart once more, and her deep sadness only sunk further. She pulled Cereza in with an affirming hug, laying her cheek down onto her head. She watched the tombstone, seeing the sun's rays slowly begin to fall upon it.
Cereza was watching it just as idly until she could feel the drops of warm tears hit her head. She quickly tucked out from under Rosa, her big eyes looking up to her mother as she tried to hastily rub away the tears.
"What's wrong Mummy?" Cereza, getting worried, clambered up further towards Rosa.
"Oh, it's nothing Cereza. It's just...still very hard for me. I'm going to miss him, little one," Rosa confessed, stifling her cries from continuing any further. Cereza still looked concerned for her.
"It's okay Mummy, don't cry!" Cereza reached out, throwing a hug around her, her small arms surprisingly gripping with quite a bit of strength. Rosa let out a soft chuckle.
"I'm alright little one," She said, staying within Cereza's arm for a moment. Suddenly the little Umbra retracted, looking up at Rosa with a huge smile.
"Fly me to the moon, and let me play among the stars. Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars," Cereza's small voice cracked out the song, her vocal cords trying to hit the notes, and she was doing a fair job of it.
Rosa looked at her astonished, the familiar song suddenly flushing away her sorrow.
"You always sang that song to me whenever I was sad, and it always made me feel better!" Cereza said, her cheeks buttoned up into a smile.
Rosa's eyes softened, cradling her little one closer as they both continued the familiar lullaby together.
"Fill my heart with song and let me sing forevermore. You are all I long for, all I worship and adore."
The sun's bright rays had finally peaked over the distant horizon, illuminating the light onto the Umbra mother and her cub. No more bars to keep her back, no more enemies to fight off, and no more worry after she had awoken to an empty spot next cell. She had found her little one. And despite her pain, she had found a new life.
"In other words, please be true. In other words. In other words…"
"I love you."