The Meanderer

by xeveningx

"The world is beautiful and pure, it's the weeds in it that ruin it." And to save the world she loves, Noé will do what she must: find her friends to free her master. But as she learns what saving it implies, discourse stirs in her. Is it really worth saving anymore? "It's not the world that's worth saving," a red cub told her. It's hard to understand his words.

26. Overcoming Something

Chapter Twenty-Six

Overcoming Something

---

|ii.|

Noé took a deep breath after splashing cool water onto her face. After what seemed like days of traveling, the little oasis she found intact in the middle of deserted lands was a welcome respite. Using the tail end of her tunic, she wiped away the excess water and as she brought the fabric away from her face, her emerald gaze caught itself reflected on the gently swaying waters.

Disgusting.

It wasn't a frequent thought she had of herself, but by merely observing her reflection in her current form, she could understand why so many had always passed her by after quick yet morbidly curious glances before. Here, on the other side of the Rift, she took much more after the form Andromalius had chosen to give her when she djinn equipped. Similar but somewhat more grotesque in her eyes.

She could still recognize the human features. Most of her face held them; the high cheekbones, the pointed ears that were spattered with crimson feathers, the sharpness of her eyes. Past her neck however was where it all started going wrong. Her torso was malformed, more petite than the burly chests of other Vastago that had muscles necessary to fly, their absence leaving a shallow indentation on her instead. The line of feathers on her collarbone hid it somewhat, she supposed, as it ran around her breasts and towards her widening hips. Her legs were thin—even thinner than they had been in her human form—the feathers of her talons unevenly scattered leaving spots where one could see the hanging skin that should have covered muscle, yet was found shriveled against the muscle she wasn't born with. The claws on her talons were smaller than she recalled. Just as dull though.

And her arms… They were the real deal breakers. They and her wings were what gave her real heritage away in the first place. What made her out as 'different.' Unlike the splotchy appearance of her legs, her arms were bare of any feathers. The skin on them was shriveled and rigid like them, parts of it clumped at parts from scars formed years ago where bones had once protruded and connected to nothing. Bones that had been sawed off because of their uselessness.

Undeveloped connections to wings that were supposed to be attached to them.

This was her. Not Vastagian enough. Not human enough.

An abomination.

Noé groaned deep in her throat, the rasp of a growl escaping her lips as she stepped away from the pond and instead took a gander at her surroundings. It all seemed different compared to the last time she was there over 200 years ago. Though the plains were as vast as she remembered with mountains that could practically reach the skies, there was something about it now that turned bleak what had once been a bountiful land. No more creatures lurked about as they did in dungeons, free to roam as the ecosystem dealt with itself. Everything was quiet now.

It was desolate now. A barren wasteland.

But that was neither here nor there. Though the sight bothered her, what mattered now was getting to the Grand Oak. She would be making good time, too. After what felt like a good day and a half of travel—though it was difficult to tell with how time appeared to flow differently there—Noé could tell more or less that she was already a good third of the way to where the Great Oak resided. Continuing on like this would get her there in three or four days. A week if she gave herself time to rest.

No, I'll get there in three.

She'd have time to rest soon enough. Bringing herself to her feet, Noé was brushing off the dirt and pebbles that stuck to her skirt and robe when she heard it: the sound of a pebble breaking under someone's weight not far from her.

The feathers behind her ears bristled and she had to forcefully calm her rising nerves to hide away the knowledge. If she'd heard it correctly, it came from the loose boulders behind her. Likely a rockslide from years ago that no one bothered to clear out of the way.

Crack.

Again. Closer this time.

Noé scoffed. Whoever was attempting to prowl her way had quite the heavy footsteps.

Let's teach someone a lesson.

Going on her merry way, Noé put some distance between herself and her pursuer before hiding behind a large boulder and straining her ears. The footsteps stopped, their heavy footfalls quieting for a mere second before they started on a run.

Rolling her eyes, Noé counted down from five before sticking her foot out. The one after her stumbled over her talon, rolling over themselves just as Noé leaped over them and pinned them against the ground. Instinctively, her hand rose as light gathered into a sharp blade that she intended to slash away at their throat with but stopped short at the sudden yowl that sounded from underneath her.

High-pitched and infantile.

Emerald eyes widened at the sight of a kid beneath her. The kid's eyes darted between her face and the blade aimed at them as his lips sputtered nonsensical gibberish that amounted to pleads for their life. More than that, however, the words that she couldn't keep to herself was the one that spilled from her lips before any others.

"You're a Vastago fledgling…"

Panicked eyes settled briefly at her words as the kid calmed down enough to form a semi-coherent, single-syllable answer.

"Y-Y-Yes!"

Bringing the light dagger down against the kid's throat, Noé's eyes narrowed on them as she brought the edge dangerously close to his jugular. "How?"

Her next query was instant because their mere existence there didn't make sense. The only ones that were supposed to be on the other side of the Great Rift were the Fanalis that Ugo and them couldn't send to the new world. The ones too proud or too stubborn to settle for what they considered a lesser form.

"W-What do you—"

Noé pressed the dagger further, drawing a thin line of blood that slid down the sharp edge of her dagger.

"All the Vastago left," she said, her voice low and menacing. "The only ones that should be here are the Fanalis. So how?"

"I-I don't understand what you mean?!"

His panic was clear and tangible. And with how young he was, the thought that he could be lying started becoming more fleeting by the second. Even so, letting him go when he'd been so obviously hunting her down was something she couldn't easily dismiss, either. The best course of action would be to just rid herself of them. Before she could, though, a sudden wave of pain shook through her as the mark on her shoulder pulsated, leaving her a tiny bit breathless at the sudden attack.

The fear and panic that had shaken those large eyes suddenly widened as they peeked at the mark. "Y-You…you have the maras too."

Emerald eyes narrowed at the Vastagian word that rolled off his tongue with a lilt.

Pestilence?

Noé took a moment to think the situation over before begrudgingly standing over the fledgling and hauling him up by the scruff of his neck to pin him to the nearest boulder with the gentlest shove she could muster at the moment. Letting the dagger rest by her side instead of their neck, Noé glared back at the kid who she could now see was a good few feet shorter than her and had to visibly crane their neck back to look her in the eye.

"You know what this is?" she asked, gesturing with a sideways nod to her shoulder.

The kid nodded frantically and reached down to lift the rags that covered his chest to reveal a dark mark similar to hers pulsing on his lower abdomen.

"I-It is maras," he repeated. "Didysis seniūnas says it's what his elders called it before him. It has been around since before their time. I-I was searching for resources—vaistas and food—when you charged me!"

"Don't whine. You pounced on me first. Tried anyway," Noé corrected them under her breath on that last one before saying, "And what's this medicine you're talking about?"

Strangely enough, the brat shut his trap then and averted his gaze. Unamused by his resistance, Noé plunged the dagger into the boulder right beside his neck and watched him sputter for mercy before yapping away.

"D-D-Didysis seniūnas said plenty existed when he was younger!" Noé dislodged the dagger. Calmer now, the kid spoke slowly despite the obvious nervousness that wracked him. "I-It's really hard to find now, but there are too many of us sick to not search for it."

Her brow suddenly furrowed at one thing in particular from that whole spiel and it had her pausing for a full second before opening her mouth.

"There's more of you?"

—{ii}—

Narsus was the name of the fledgling she'd inadvertently crossed paths with and he was no older than 600 years. For all intents and purposes, he should still be stuck to his mother's teat and not out in the wild. After hearing about their current predicament, however, Noé thought of it as a tragic necessity.

His tribe was a small one. No more than 30 or so Vastago. Yet that was 30 or so more than she ever thought she would see again.

After all this time, Noé had assumed that her people had been relegated to just another people of the many that resided in the new world she helped create. Andromalius herself had told her that all their people had left the day of the departure. Then again, she could see why their existence would have gone unnoticed in the first place once Narsus described the rest of his little tribe.

They're all half-bloods like him. Like us.

It shouldn't have shocked her, and the more that she thought about it, the faster the initial surprise eventually subsided. The slaves that her aunt had gathered during her short rule over the twelve tribes had been mutts like herself, as well. Offspring of Vastago and human mating. To think that the Vastago who had lived their whole lives as people proud of their heritage would so easily embrace those with 'tainted blood' had been wishful thinking, at best.

Back then, it had completely gone over her head that they would leave those like her behind. Now, Noé regretted that the thought never crossed her mind after all she had gone through during her lifetime.

Their once large population was in peril, too, by the sound of things, as Narsus explained to her why their numbers were so few now compared to before. The maras, as they knew it, was a disease that roamed the plains on this side of the Great Rift. Like a seasonal cold, it rolled through the dark mist she had come to know and brought with it the parasites that attached to them, causing them harm. Unlike those on the other side, though, the parasites absorbed magoi at a much slower rate here which explained how so many that were infected were still standing even after years of it eating away at their bodies.

His tribe as a whole was infected. Those somewhat older than Narsus were bedridden and hidden deep underground in a cave system, according to the fledgling, where they were being taken care of by others less ill. The younger ones his age were faring better but it didn't change the fact that they were still dying. Outside of those two ranges, Noé duly noted there was no mention of any adult aside from the didysis seniūnas—this grand elder he kept speaking of.

This tribe was nothing more than a bunch of fledglings that surely had yet to even molt their baby feathers and were already headed towards death's door.

"Time is wasting, little sparrow."

Noé winced, her hand coming over to her shoulder and clawing at the tough black second-skin.

I'll be on my way soon, meistras. I'm just taking him back to where he belongs.

He may be dying, but it wouldn't be on her conscience that the kid died a day or two earlier than he expected to when she could've avoided it.

"T-Thank you, sesou," was all that he offered her after declaring her intentions following his brief history lesson.

It wasn't far from the little oasis but their journey would be cutting through the mountainside. As they reached the towering mountains, Narsus insisted on finding refuge before nightfall. Noé thought differently. Resting would only delay an already tangential trip, not to mention that it would simply prolong her own plans. It would be ultimately quicker if they passed through the mountainside without stopping. This obviously upset the fledgling but if she would be the one escorting him back to his village then they'd be listening to her.

She had to admit though that something about the place seemed eerie. Perhaps it was just the fact that it was a piece of Alma Torran and it had been ages since she last traversed these plains—especially alone—that brought upon her this foreboding sensation. At least that's what she chalked it up to.

It was as they were passing through a ravine near the end of the mountainside that she halted in her tracks, her nostrils flaring as they caught the scent of something familiar.

Earth…and blood.

It took all but a split second for her to recognize the smell and even less to push Narsus aside when the pounding of heavy footfalls made the ground tremble beneath them an instant before something pounced from within the shadows. Noé couldn't do much to protect herself while shoving the fledgling out of harm's way and instead took the full brunt of the claw that launched her against the mountain.

Ears ringing and vision blurry, Noé forced her eyes to focus through the blurriness and darkness. Frankly, it took very little concentration for her to see the giant beast that prowled towards her and much less to recognize it.

It was hard to mistake the great red beast for anything else.

A Fanalis. Judging from the petrified expression on Narsus, this was most likely the reason he wanted to seek refuge by nightfall. Would've been great to actually have known.

But that was far from the point now. The Fanalis was larger than either of them by a large margin and between her having to protect Narsus and having to fight during the night with only Grace of Sunlight, Noé knew that this wasn't a fight she could win.

With a click of her tongue, she turned back to Narsus with a snarl. "Leave!"

His eyes widened and feathers bristled as he stuttered out a weak, "W-What?"

"Run, Narsus!" she bellowed while turning back to face the Fanalis before her and summoning light blades of a dark gray color into her hands. "I'll make an opening. When you see it, run towards your village!"

The Fanalis didn't allow them any further time to discuss a plan and suddenly launched in their general direction. Spinning larger weapons into her hands, Noé met them halfway, taking the full brunt of the beast's claws and holding it in place before yelling back at Narsus.

"RUN!"

The fledgling balked before scurrying away behind her and towards the direction they'd been heading. Sharp red eyes followed him and drew back from her before sprinting towards Narsus's direction. Noé didn't hesitate. In a flicker of light, she flashed a few feet ahead and above the Fanalis and lunged downward, cutting the large beast off before it could extend its claw out towards the fledgling.

Emerald eyes narrowed at the Fanalis as she rose to her feet, letting the large spear of dark light crumble away.

"Your fight's with me," she said clearly.

The Fanalis snarled back in response before charging at her once more. For once, Noé saw herself having to be on the defensive. It wasn't just because she wanted to give the kid as much time as possible to escape but because fighting head-on wasn't as much of a viable option as she first thought. Grace of Sunlight had been a great tool before but only because she had Chief Andromalius, a compatible djinn with her gift, with her. The seal had never been anything more than support and the occasional power-up or last resort.

Fighting with it, especially in prolonged battles, just wasn't feasible. That much was plain as could be when Noé felt herself beginning to tire after only a few minutes.

I need to finish this quickly.

But was finishing it really an option? She clicked her tongue at the doubt that grew in her. Having Chief with her had handicapped her plenty it seemed. Not wanting to dwell on that, Noé flashed out of the way of a slash that would have certainly struck her and reappeared above the Fanalis before crashing down on top of it. It began thrashing at sensing her there but Noé held onto its fur for dear life with one hand while summoning a sword in the other. Twirling it in her hand for a better grip, Noé was inches away from plunging it deep into its throat when she stopped herself.

Or more like her conscience stopped her.

It was ridiculous. She needed to do it. It needed to die for her to survive. But despite how loud and logical that simple mindset was, her conscience fought back. These may be the fearsome beasts her aunt once terrified her at night with but those had been just that, stories. The Fanalis she knew—the ones she became close with—were more than that. They were the people of the Fanalis Corp. Rhea's, Lo'lo's, Myron's.

Muu's.

I can't.

Cursing, Noé forced herself to do the second best thing and plunged the sword lower into one of its front legs. The beast let out a pained howl before finally shaking her off its back. She rolled onto the ground and stopped when her back hit a nearby boulder, but Noé didn't let herself lose time to the pain. Scrambling to her feet, her eyes focused on the Fanalis as they stumbled backward with one of their legs tucked inward.

Good, at least that way she wouldn't have to kill it to stop the fight. At least that's what she thought until it lowered its injured paw and, despite it shaking with its weight on it, stepped forward with its back arched.

Fucking hell, they're all stubborn.

Thinking on her feet, Noé took a deep breath and flashed into the high ground once more, this time right beside its injured leg before using the momentum of the fall to land a solid kick right where she'd stabbed it. The Fanalis stumbled back with a yowl and hit the mountainside closest to it hard. The mountain shook behind it, setting boulders loose to rain down on them.

Noé dodged out of the way of a few before she spotted the Fanalis struggling to protect itself from the debris. Out of whatever emotions there were still left in her, she lifted her hand and felt her face light ablaze along with her throat as a thin yet fortified wall of light glinted in the sunlight above the Fanalis, blocking any more harm from coming to it. Creating and maintaining such a huge shield, however, was draining her fast.

There wasn't any time or energy to lose. Leaving herself open as she dispersed the shield, the Fanalis' eyes narrowed with its clear target and launched forward.

Her feet moved only until the very last moment, pivoting on one foot and letting the attack go wide. With the beast so near, Noé used what innate strength she had and grasped its injured leg in her arms and pivoted yet again. The momentum of her sharp turn brought the Fanalis over her shoulder and down into the ground, creating a crater underneath the immense weight and the impact itself stunning the beast.

Just as she was about to take another step forward to incapacitate it, a pain struck her and brought her down to one knee. Labored breathing followed as her heart raced from the sudden attack.

"Forget about the Red Lion."

"But—" More pain wracked her body and cut her sentence short.

"You will not be able to sustain being in such a state for much longer," her meistras insisted. "You must return to me before that happens, little sparrow."

Not having the energy to argue, Noé took the chance from her last attack and ended the confrontation there, escaping through the mouth of the valley towards her original destination. Unable to help herself, however, she gave one last glance back only for her eyes to widen at what she saw.

On its back, instead of red fur covering it in its entirety, there was a large black stain. A parasite. A pang of uneasiness different from the pain from before came at the sight of it. It wasn't debilitating, but it certainly felt troubling. Another wave of pain rushing through her had Noé wincing a bit before turning back towards the road ahead.

She'd already lost half a day. She needed to hurry.

Four days.

—{ii}—

Stopping only for what were dire necessities was enough to cut her already long journey short by half a day. Once at the crevice that opened into the chasms, Noé began following the glowing veins encrusted upon the earth as she made her way deeper and deeper underground.

Very few knew this particular way to the Grand Oak. While the magicians that had traveled with her knew of the direct way that consisted of passing through the territory of the Origin Dragon, the recorders and herself had been the handful that knew of this alternate way's existence. It was a privilege granted to them by her meistras herself.

Known millenia ago as nothing but a myth, the Grand Oak—or as her people knew it, gyvybės medis—grew in a special pocket of space created by Ill Illah. There, it was nourished by the god itself. It stood as a symbol of the cycle of life. Where the tree lay barren and dying and the vast field surrounding it forever flourishing.

Life and death coexisted in that space. And there, in the ever flourishing and dying bowels of the black Grand Oak was the gilded cage where her meistras sat imprisoned.

Whiteness surrounded her on all sides as she entered the space. White mist on the outskirts, white grass, and the white leaves of the oak's canopy intermingled with a white sky. From the canopies fell leaves, swirling downward in spirals as they vanished into the air. The air felt light there, easy to breathe despite the heaviness and sorrow this place reminded her of.

Her feet took her across the vast prairie and closer to the white flowers that bloomed nearest to the Grand Oak. Lunar Tears; Shuri's. Amongst those flowers, what had once been a statue in Ignis's likeness now laid broken where it stood, pieces overtaken by millennia's worth of moss and vines. Briefly, Noé knelt before it, her fingers caressing the beaten stone that had once portrayed the kid's face that was now hidden beneath blooming lilies of the purest white.

Not even her own garden looked this beautiful despite being the same kind of flowers.

The thought of that little grove—her little piece of heaven in a cruel world—and what would happen to it saddened her somewhat. Maahes would surely take care of it. He knew how important it was to her. The boy would certainly see after it once she was gone. Her arm and back pulsed with the pressure from the mark and she recoiled from the sudden pain. Noé could feel how it crawled underneath her skin. The way it moved across her body as it continued to spread faster now that she wasn't fighting against it any longer. Soon it would overtake her; much faster than her tainted rukh would take to overwhelm her.

Either way, she needn't worry.

She'd be joining her meistres someplace where neither of those things happening would hurt anybody she cared about.

Standing despite the pain, Noé made her way to the cage, her feet slow as the parasite spread and the black rukh fought for control over her. Each step was heavy, but not impossible. Hauling herself over large roots, her hands gripped tightly onto the cold bars of the gilded cage and let herself fall against it as her head lay itself against the cool metal.

Finally…

She made it. Half broken and dying but she made it.

"I'm home…"

Her voice was but a whisper as she closed her eyes to the pure whiteness around her. As her mind drifted off from the days' exhaustion, Noé felt the coolness of metal vanish as she slid down to rest against the large roots. Suddenly the cold was replaced by a small warmth under her head. As her breathing steadied and relaxed thanks to that warmth, it spread across her body, soothing the pain that ravaged her as she lay there.

"You've done marvelously, Noé. Always the hard worker, always the overachiever. You deserve your rest, my little sparrow."

A hand gently stroked her head, her curls tangling a bit in between fingers that carefully carded their way through before starting once more. Noé startled briefly at the strange sensation but didn't dare open her eyes. If this was an illusion or a dream, she didn't want to know. There was no part of her that wished to break it, either. Real or fake, it didn't matter.

Little did now.

As she indulged in their touch, however, Noé couldn't keep a part of herself from wanting…from needing to know that everything she would be leaving behind would be taken care of.

"You'll make this world better, won't you, meistras?"

"Of course, my child," she said, her voice angelic and calming. "It is what I promised you all."

"The Vastago on the other side…and the Fanalis, too," she mumbled, "Can you cure them? I don't think they…want to die… Not like I do. Please cure them, meistras."

"I will." As her gentle strokes continued, Noé started to feel her body grow heavy. Instinctively, her body curled inward as another hand reached over for her wing and carefully brought it across her tired body, letting its weight act as the safety blanket it had when she had been a child. "You can rest now, Noé. You've done more than enough to help me. It's time for you to rest…and forget."

Listening to her meistras' soft voice was like listening to the most blissful lullaby. Soft and melodic, her words seeped into her mind flooding it with nothingness the more she talked. Thoughts of her pains and her sorrows blended into each other and were being swept away with each stroke of that gentle hand. As they did, her mind faltered at each memory but did not react when each began to simply vanish from her consciousness and into sweet oblivion. But as more and more of the painful memories subsided and vanished into thin air, suddenly Noé noticed brief instances of happiness peek through.

Happy meetings, bittersweet reunions, joyous happenings.

Her little bits of happiness were also being swept away. Hesitation sprouted in her and her face scrunched in concern, the right side of it suddenly in mild discomfort.

Don't. Not…those…

"It's alright to part with them." Suddenly her hand rested upon the crown of her head and Noé's sudden hesitance began to leave her. "Forgo it all along with what you took. Return it to its rightful place…and rest."

Her hesitation wavered and left her. Suddenly there was no more pain. No more discomfort.

Suddenly, there was nothing.

"How disappointing."

Noé's brow furrowed at the voice that echoed softly around her. It wasn't in her head like her meistras and it wasn't the voice she'd been hearing putting her to sleep, either. It was someone…something else.

Opening her eyes, Noé found herself surrounded by nothing but darkness. Despite this, she could see herself still but she wasn't like she remembered herself. Her body was small, a child's, and it was wavering in its form. Her feet were already gone, nothing but shimmering mist past her knees and continuing upward as they disappeared. Her hands were already starting to shimmer as well, dissipating into particles of light engulfed by the darkness.

"You truly are just going to let yourself vanish like this? After everything you and your supposed friends did to get me and the others?" It clicked its tongue harshly at her, "Pathetic."

The voice was sharper this time and it came from behind her. Noé turned to look over her shoulder, but there was nothing there. At least not at first. It took her a brief moment of focusing her eyes to see the bright silhouette behind her. It was made up of nothing but faint light that was disappearing alongside her. Even when there was no expression for her to see, it was obvious to Noé that the figure was displeased with her.

To that, Noé replied monotonously.

"I just want to rest."

"Bullshit." The sharpness of its voice made the air around them ripple and sent bits of herself flying away into the dark. "It was never in you to give up so easily. For goodness sake, you lied and betrayed the little brat to take us for yourselves instead of letting her be the scapegoat like she had planned to be."

Before she could ask what it was talking about, a horde of images flashed before her eyes. Images that she vaguely recalled as memories. Of the day she and the others took the Gifts. Of the night before. Between those memories, she could still hear the silhouette's voice over them.

"You were clever, I'll give you that. The magic seal you cast on yourself and the others was done well enough to work. Even for a rookie in magic like you."

Seal… She remembered that.

Noé had known about the penances that would come to the one who took the Gifts from the world. She knew because of that little bit of information that she kept to herself. That bit of the fairytale that she so conveniently had left out when telling it to the others. Once taken, the powers would be detached from the world and ready for the taking. What Ignis had intended to do was for her, who'd been tasked with breaking the chains that held the Gifts to the world, to take all seven penances and allow for the seven of them to then take the Gifts to build a new world.

Noé had known this.

That was why she cast that seal on herself the night before. It was just a little bit of magic that she learned from Solomon's many journals. A reversal spell. Easy to cast with a low cost of energy. Ignis would have never known who cast it even if she had realized its existence. Noé took advantage of that the night before they departed so that she would take the girl's place once all was said and done.

Had it worked, Ignis would have been the one possessing Grace of Sunlight in her stead. Just without the ever-present thirst.

When the others found out what she intended to do and accepted the burden alongside her, the plans changed but only slightly.

Instead of Ignis paying the penances and letting them have the Gifts, they would have allowed her the chance to escape with all seven while paying the price themselves.

A small price to pay, really. At least…it should have been.

None of that matters now, though. Once I give it to meistras, none of it will.

"You're quite naive if you think returning me to her will lead to any good."

Noé suddenly faltered and tried to turn to face them but couldn't when she realized her hips were gone. So instead she voiced her concerns out loud.

"I don't understand."

"Of course, you don't. You don't remember what you saw. Nothing is allowed to have memories of those beings. It's forbidden. But if you're determined about vanishing anyway, I guess showing you now won't matter either way."

Unable to say anything before something pressed against the back of her head, Noé let the sudden memories rush through her mind instead, reliving them as if they were happening for the first time.

Noé opened her eyes to find a scene beyond anything she'd ever seen. A dark distorted world took shape around her. An oppressive atmosphere clung to her wanting to make its way into her every cell the longer she was there. Nothingness took form as dark, shapeless amalgamates that cried in their suffering and roared with deep-seated rage. Swirls of angry reds and bright cyans clashed violently everywhere she turned, their hits echoing as harrowing whimpers and cries.

What had her heart clutched in a tight grip was the raw power emanating from whatever stood feet away among the shapeless shadows. There was no shape to it. It was just another massless thing that stood out from the others. It wavered in its shapelessness, almost as if wanting to take form and unable to decide which to take. Wanting to be all and none at all. A shadow flickering in an already dark background. But even despite this, Noé could sense strong emotions from its mere presence.

It was furious. It was wicked. And its aura threatened to devour her whole with a mere glance.

Noé thought she had known fear before. She hadn't. That place…that thing… Wherever and whatever it was, it was truly a frightening sight beyond words.

"Noé, please! Snap out of it!"

Hearing Ignis' voice so clearly diminished the grip of that fear on her soul for the briefest of moments, allowing her to focus. As she did, her eyes came to the figure before her and recognized it as the little blue-haired girl she had met that day on her execution. Like back then, she stood in defiance for her sake, a staff she recognized as Teosa's held aloft as she created a borg that protected them from the dark amalgamates that bellowed ferociously.

Beyond their cries, she spoke up again.

"I should've known you of all people would think of doing something like casting one of Sol's spells." A soft airy chuckle escaped her. "It was a good move, though. You thought of what she could've done and knew only I would be able to stop her, right? I owe you one for having thought so far ahead, Noé."

No, she remembered herself screaming in her mind, unable to utter a single word from the oppressive fear eating her away from inside. Stop lying. You know I lied to you. You know I didn't have any of it planned out. I didn't know any of this would happen. Stop trying to make me feel less guilty about what I have caused.

As if reading her mind, those cerulean eyes softened. The borg now completed, Ignis turned away from the threat around them and walked towards her. Her emerald eyes held onto that soft gaze until she stopped a few feet before her with a warm smile on her face.

Before she could say anything else, Ignis rushed forward and hugged her. The act robbed any will she had left to speak. Too ashamed to do so, Noé could only gasp for words that never come as tears spilled from her eyes. As certain defeat loomed over them, she could do nothing else except wallow at what could've been done to avoid all this.

She should've said something. She should've consulted with her. They should've done this together like they had planned to from the very start.

But she had been foolish. Foolish to let her past fears dictate her present actions. Foolish to think only she knew best.

Because she hadn't.

"...I'm sorry…"

Ignis's hold around her shoulders tightened as those words finally rushed past her lips no louder than a whisper.

"It's okay," she replied. "I forgive you. You only did what you thought was best. I know I would have done the same thing had I been in your place…and I will."

Her arms released her and Noé watched as the young girl stepped back to arm's length while keeping one of her hands locked with her own. She offered one more smile before turning down and smiling at something beside her. No, not something. Someone. Facing down beside her was enough for her to recognize the ifrit she had once hated and now treated as her greatest friend as Shuri sat there just as stunned with fear as she was.

"Take care of them."

Those words from Ignis had Noé facing the young girl once more just in time to watch her as released her hand and stepped away. Noé's concerns were caught in her throat and never got a chance to leave it when Ignis turned away from them altogether. Brandishing her staff, the little girl let her voice travel as she cast her spell.

A bright light engulfed her then, blinding them and taking with it the dark distorted world before returning them to the Grand Oak.

As her memories ended there, Noé gasped for air, unable to comprehend what she had just seen. Were those really her memories? Were those really the memories that not even the magic of three magi combined could recover?

"They are." Hearing the silhouette's voice again anchored her to the 'now'. It brought her back from the sudden spiral of despair and poised her mind to at least be able to upkeep a conversation with it. "That's what happened. The price you all paid for creating a better world."

"That…thing…" she spat with a quivering voice. "What was that?"

"You know the answer to that question. You've always known it. Denial and self-preservation blinded you to it, is all." The back of its head pressed against hers and Noé felt a calmness slowly flow through her. "Focus. You know what you saw."

Doing as it suggested, Noé closed her eyes and took a deep breath before recalling those memories again. Fresh as they were, it wasn't hard. That dark place. Those wailing wraiths. That terrifying shapeless figure.

Fear and rage encroached, threatening to push her away, but remembering the silhouette's words, Noé persisted. The shapeless figure wavered again. And again. And again.

Until suddenly it wasn't shapeless anymore.

It was Teosa's beautiful face…distorted by unbridled rage.

"...meistras…" This time instead of the usual fondness when she uttered her name, it was said with an underlying sense of terror. "What…what happened to her?"

"Wrath does that to people," the silhouette explained. "In some, it is innate. In others, it is made. And in its purest form, it is unparalleled. As its primal source, Ira is wrath incarnate. You may have not consciously been aware of it, but you must have felt it. That chill of unease both your Vastagian and human halves recognized in its subtleties despite everything."

That…is wrath? …meistras…?

"Come, little sparrow." Her lilting voice banged against her head like a mighty gong, making her thoughts and movements suddenly sluggish as she began to lose strength once more. "You've done enough. Return what you took. Return it to me and all will be as it was. As it should be."

That calmness came again, but something else along with it. Something she hadn't noticed until now that had been there all along but was so small that she was willing to ignore it. Now it couldn't be any clearer.

Unease.

"You're almost gone." Emerald eyes gazed down as if wanting to confirm what the silhouette said and only heard her own breath hitch as everything up to her neck had well and vanished. It gave out a long sigh at that. " 'Our greatest power is that which is freely given.' That is the ordinance with which we were created. The one and only. If our bearers so wish it, we must part with them. And if that is what you want, then I will accept it. I will let you rest."

Feeling herself suddenly lighter, Noé couldn't say much when she noticed her mouth disappear into specks of light.

"I do wonder though… If you do this, will you really be able to rest?"

…

"Give it to me, little sparrow. Give me your gift…and rest."

…

"I…can't."

The body beneath her stiffened.

"...what?"

"What if…what if there are still things to be done? Things that I can do," Noé pondered aloud, the fog in her mind clearing the more the thoughts circulated.

"There is nothing more for you to do," Teosa assured her. The lilt in her voice returned yet there was something underlying in it that she couldn't quite name. Yet the uncomfortable sensation it gave her was undeniable now. "You understand that, don't you, little sparrow? All your presence will do now is cause more strife and grief for those you love. And you don't want to hurt them."

"I don't…" she agreed, her eyes narrowing as she thought about it further. "I know I don't…but…if I give up like this, when there's still so much left that I could do, then…it wouldn't be the kind of rest I'm looking for."

Slowly, Noé found the strength to wrestle her head away from the warm lap she'd been laying on.

"I want to rest, meistras…but I want to rest knowing that I've done all I can for this world…and never again regret my indolence."

A soft smile spread across her lips at the warm feeling that spread across the left side of her face. Like a small, warm hand teasingly poking at her cheek.

"So I'm sorry, Teosa," Noé said, "But Grace of Sunlight—I'll be keeping her for a bit longer still."

A cold, lanky hand suddenly wrapped around her neck, its nails digging painfully into her skin and wrenching a gasp from her as it lifted her off of her feet. Noé's throat clasped shut at the sudden grasp, her eyes watering from the lack of oxygen as her feet kicked and her hands tried grabbing at the hand that had her throat in a vice grip in a futile attempt to free herself.

"You foolish bird. You will never attain such a thing." Through her struggle, Noé caught the way the lilt of her meistras' voice changed into a horrifying guttural sound, like metal scraping against metal as she snarled at her. "Misfortune will follow you all until you forgo the powers that are mine."

Trying to focus on the hand that grappled her neck suddenly brought it clearer into view. Instead of the human hand, she came to expect, a dark amalgamate of a clawed hand was there instead. Following it up showed her the rest of it and brought into focus the shapeless dark figure from her memory.

This wasn't her meistras. It wasn't even Teosa.

It's wrath—the thing that silhouette called 'Ira.'

"But it matters not what you want,"it snarled back. "The only reason I allowed you the courtesy of surrendering Grace of Sunlight was because of our past relationship. If you are refusing to, however, you make my decision all the simpler. I will take it and it will return to me, regardless."

Knowing what that could only mean, Noé's instincts went into overdrive. Teeth bared, she dug her fingers into the shapeless hands that gripped her and kicked away at the form before her. A guttural sound emanated from the black mass, bubbles of tar surfacing from the sound as it tightened its grip. It wasn't enough to cut her airway but it was enough to force the parasite to react almost instantly, sending shockwaves across her body that wrenched the air out of her lungs instead. As her vision blurred and eyes watered, Noé gasped for every painful breath as the parasite's moves became erratic and spread further across her torso, arms, and neck.

"You struggle in vain, little sparrow." The distorted voice burst through the bubbles surfacing from the black substance that made up her body. "Your life was forfeit the moment my rukh entered your body. And though immaterial, going against Solomon's will and falling only sped the process."

Noé, despite feeling her consciousness starting to fade from the lack of oxygen, fought harder, clawing and kicking even if feebly against the shapeless being. But it didn't even last a second before the black rukh inside her stirred with a firm hold of that dark hand before running amok inside her body.

"Enough of this petty fit, Noélia," it said, its voice a mix between the gentle lilt and the guttural growl. Before Noé could do much else, the hand around her neck squeezed until her windpipe closed entirely.

Dread washed over her as the emptiness of her lungs hit just a second before the sudden desperation for air sent her into a helpless panic. One that lasted but a few seconds before her vision darkened and the heaviness from the parasite spreading made her unable to struggle any further.

It was just as darkness and sudden emptiness were about to take hold of her that Noé heard it.

A mighty roar that cut through the deafening silence of her heart that had almost stopped altogether.

Sharp rows of teeth suddenly fell upon the appendage holding her up in the air and gnawed ferociously into it until it ripped the arm from its body. The shapeless form gave out a piercing shriek as it retreated back into the darkness of its gilded cage. Noé, on the other hand, fell back and tumbled down the tree until her back hit something sturdy.

Before anything else, Noé ripped away at the appendage still clinging to her neck only to find it easily disposable as it became nothing but sludge in her hands. Tossing it aside and watching it land with a loud splat on the ground next to her had her gaze focusing on her surroundings only for her eyes to widen with utter shock.

What had been the beautifully serene white space she had entered was but a ghost of itself now. Heavy gray mist clung to the ground. The luscious prairie she knew before was now nothing more than a barren land where no flowers bloomed. And the grand oak that had stood so grandiosely over everything was nothing but a gray tree barren of its leaves with wilted flowers around its roots. As her emerald eyes took in the dilapidated state of what had once been such a peaceful and beautiful place, her gaze suddenly stopped to gawk at the gilded cage in the bowels of the dying grand oak.

Through the gilded bars, she could see the dark insides of the cage still and from it she could somewhat distinguish that amalgamate that she came to recognize as Ira. Its frantic shrieking echoed like a death cry throughout the space and when its arms reached out aiming for her through the bars, Noé balked, not caring that she was pressing against something large and warm behind her.

They didn't reach her though. As if protected by a barrier, the dark appendages burned at touching an invisible barrier across the gilded bars and instead only letting a dark mist escape through. But it was like pain didn't matter to it. It kept trying to reach out to her despite losing its limbs over and over again and never once being capable of reaching past that cage.

Even despite this, though, Noé could still feel the unease. The deep-seated terror that almost being killed by it instilled in her. In a desperate attempt to run as far away as possible, she forced herself to stand only to see her entire world spin before her. Falling over, she could've sworn she would have landed on the hard ground, but instead, that warmth once again enveloped her.

This one was different from the warmth she'd felt before.

Instead of the uneasiness of forgetting, Noé could sense gentleness from it. All because of its familiar scent of earth and spices. Comforted by it, the exhaustion of what transpired took over faster than she anticipated and before she knew what became of her, Noé passed out.

—{ii}—

The familiar scent welcomed her when she awoke.

Eyes fluttering open, the softness of the fur that laid beneath her was soothing. The warmth emanating from it was even more so. But what had her forcing herself awake was the fact that whatever she was laying on was so obviously breathing and alive. Springing up however was the wrong way to go about things. Her head spun instantly upon her rising so abruptly and had Noé holding onto it as she let the world around her settle down.

"Easy now. Having you faint on me again is the last thing I want."

The deep tenor of the voice caught her off guard and had her turning towards the source. Inches away from her was the fanged snout of a Fanalis that was eyeing her with a stern eye. Noé's body stiffened as it instinctively went on high alert. Her eyes never once left the Fanalis, though, focusing on the way they curved and the way those fine marks ran along its eyes. They were a Fanalis' telltale mark—that much was more than obvious—but there was something about them that caught her attention and had her dropping her guard for the tiniest of moments.

Without thinking, her hands reached out slowly towards its snout. The Fanalis didn't break her line of sight even as her hands approached it, something she found strange yet didn't bother questioning. Instead, she carefully placed her hands against its cheekbones before gently brushing her thumbs over those eyes. It was as she stared into them and held onto his face that something in her told her exactly who this was.

"...Muu?"

A deep rumble from his chest thrummed through her body as it let out a low chuckle.

"I apologize for how unsightly this is."

Unable to believe it, Noé couldn't help her hands as they roamed his head and body as if wanting to ascertain that this beast that was easily four times her size and was so easily cradling her against its body as it laid around her was indeed the man she knew.

"Wh—How did…—What…" Unable to land on one question, she let the first one that followed actually be spoken. "What are you doing here?"

Those crimson eyes softened at her question and she could see the pull of his lips as he smiled faintly.

"I couldn't just let you leave, Noé. Not alone."

She didn't know what it was. Maybe it was the way he said that so easily and matter-of-a-factly. Maybe it was the tender sound of his voice as he said it. Whichever it might have been, though, didn't take away the warmth that those simple words spread through her chest. Nor could they take away the way they made her throat suddenly so tight and eyes so prickly with unshed tears. Her fingers carded through his long mane as Noé struggled to find the words to answer such a simple sentence. There were none, though. When she realized this, all she could bring herself to do was wrap her arms around his neck and bury her face against him.

Finally, her tears spilled over as everything that had happened up till then came crashing down. The horrible things she had said and done, the people she cared about that she had hurt. It all had her tears overflowing as she wept against his neck until finally, she spoke the simplest words she could find to express her sudden relief and all her regret.

"T-Thank you…I-I'm so, so sorry. For being so stupid, for leaving like that, for everything!" she cried. "I'm so sorry, Muu!"

Muu didn't say a word nor move a muscle. He allowed her to weep into him until she was spent. Only then did he nudge her head with his and got her to pull away. Once far enough, he pressed his wet nose against her cheek before licking the trail of tears on that side of her face away.

"I'm glad you're safe now," he began, pressing his muzzle against the bottom of her chin to bring her gaze up to meet his. "But I will say that I won't accept your apology. At least not until we get back to Reim."

The suggestion had her hands gripping at his fur as she childishly hid her face against his neck. "I'm…embarrassed to go back. After everything I did…I don't know—"

"I'm going to stop you right there," he sternly said. Noé recognized that tone. It was the same one he would use with the Fanalis cubs when reprimanding them. "There is nothing for you to be embarrassed about. You were afraid. Of hurting us, of dying, and quite frankly, acting rashly was something I expected from you."

"You…you did?" she sniffled as she pulled away again.

Muu nodded and rested his head over hers as if to embrace her. "I won't blame you for how you reacted. We all do dumb and reckless things when we're desperate. Trust me, I know. What matters is that you realize you acted rashly and that you don't give into despair from here on out."

Her grasp on his mane tightened at his words.

"But this…it's still a problem." She felt him flinch at the reminder even without having to outright name the problem. "I could still hurt you all if I go back like this."

"I already told you, we'll find a way to cure you," Muu reminded her. "We want to see you better because you matter to us. Nothing, not even this or any other dumb mistake you make will change that. So please trust us. Trust me when I say I will do everything I can and more until you're better."

Noé let his words sink in. Like a clean drop falling into the murkiest of waters, she felt his sincere words wash over her and at the very least allow her to feel something she hadn't felt since Alma Toran.

She allowed herself to hope for something better.

Nodding against his neck was the best she could do to reply to his words. Underneath her, Muu let loose a deep breath.

"We should get going. I'm still not comfortable here, even with this much distance between us and that thing," he said, helping her sit up with his muzzle. "Can you stand?"

Pursing her lips, Noé attempted to stand with his help. Exhaustion hit her the moment she tried standing for even a moment. Almost instantly, her legs gave way underneath her. Thankfully before she hit the ground, Muu rushed to her and used his body to prop her up. Even with him to lean against, however, she could feel the way her legs shook. Her body was much too weak. Whatever Ira had done to try and take Grace of Sunlight had done much more of a number on her than she thought.

After a few more tries, she finally shook her head and turned to Muu, "I can't."

"I see," he mused. Once giving it some thought, Muu carefully lowered himself until he was completely laying on the floor once more before turning towards her again. "Get on. I'll take us back."

Hesitant at first, Noé admitted to herself that there was no way for her to continue otherwise and with Muu's help climbed onto his back. It was strange, riding a Fanalis, but knowing that it was Muu made it bearable for her to slowly get used to it. It wasn't until he rose to his full height however that she realized exactly how big he really was.

Despite not being as big as the one Fanalis she fought on her way to the grove, Muu was still a pretty large Fanalis all things considered. He was well over four times her size and being a half-blood didn't take away from any of his animalistic features unlike her.

It was easy to see how he was able to wrench Ira's grasp away from her like he had because of it, too.

Remembering that place and the mixed feelings left in her after what she learned laid imprisoned behind those gilded bars, her grasp on his mane tightened.

"Muu…how did you find me?" Her voice was nothing above a whisper but from how close she was to his ears, Noé knew he must've heard her. "That place… Nobody should know about it, much less be able to find it. Not unless they knew how to get to it like we did."

"I followed your scent," he simply said. Hiding her face against his neck got her closer to better hear him and helped cover her from the harsh wind that rushed past her. "Even here, you give off the strongest scent of the sun."

Just as she was about to open her mouth to ask something else, Noé jerked forward from the rough stop that Muu suddenly took. Too weak to notice anything yet, Noé relied instead on his movements to discern what had made him halt so abruptly.

Beneath her, his breathing slowed. Beside her, his ears perked up. In front of her, his nose rose to the air.

Someone's here.

The threatening growl that sounded off from deep in his throat had her shaking as she mustered what energy she could to raise her head and focus her vision.

Figures stood out. Vague shapes, at first, but as she persisted, they focused more on what she recognized as several Vastagians. Not just any, either. Their gear, stances, and weapons gave them away as Hunters. Having them there didn't make sense until she recalled the other Vastago she encountered earlier. She hadn't put much attention to the kid but she did remember him wearing golden feathers, the mark of trained Hunters.

And their job was exactly what it said on the tin.

They're hunting for prey.

But this one was by far a bigger bite than they could chew. If they were half as knowledgeable about the Red Lions as Narsus had been, they were aware of what the Fanalis could do. Which meant that they were either really stupid or really desperate.

Judging by how they suddenly began closing in on them, Noé chose to believe the latter.

Muu, perceiving the threat, intensified his growl but he refused to move an inch further. He didn't want to harm them; not when what mattered to him was getting her out of the Rift unharmed and in one piece.

All things considered, running was their best course of action. Time was of the essence and they couldn't waste it like this. But just as she was about to tell Muu to book it, a loud cry sounded off from afar that made all eyes turn back from where the Vastago had ambushed them. Noé couldn't figure out who or what it was. Not until the figure got close enough for her to recognize the brat that had pounced on her so lamely some days ago.

"W-Wait! Vadas!"

Narsus rushed to whom he'd called his captain only to stop beside the Vastagian male that stood at the forefront of the group aiming sharpened spears and arrows their way. Noé couldn't hear their hushed conversation very well but judging by the way Muu's ears perked and how the growl lessened yet didn't leave, it at least meant some good news.

I hope so, anyway.

The fledgling from before carefully stepped in front of the hunters, his arms raised in quiet surrender as his eyes fleeted between Muu and her on his back.

"Sesou?" he bravely asked despite the slight tremor in his voice, surely from facing a Fanalis this close.

"Narsus, right?" she responded weakly.

The young chick nodded before stiffening at the way Muu let out his breath.

"Y-Yes! I—I've talked to my vadas about who you are. That you're a Vastago who's also sick…like us."

Emerald eyes diverted from him towards the hunters that still held their weapons aloft and aimed at them. "Guess they didn't believe you, huh?"

"He says he sees you're a Vastago, but that you don't look like you're infected."

Of course, I don't. They can barely see me from this high up.

Being snarky wouldn't get them anywhere, so instead of going the antagonistic route, Noé opted for a different way to gain their trust. Enough for them to let them go since neither Muu nor her were up for fighting. Telling this to him allowed her to dismount him after some convincing. Standing on her shaky legs while leaning on Muu who had lowered himself to the ground to help stabilize her, a stern gaze turned to the hunters that flinched as she lowered the robes on her back.

It hadn't been necessary. The last time she checked it had already consumed most of her arm and the side of her body and neck. Grace of Sunlight appeared to be able to keep it away from her face but everything else seemed to be fair game and the parasite was taking advantage of that well enough. Standing, even with Muu's help, was taking more out of her than she realized.

Shit.

Before she knew it, Noé dropped to her knees and onto her side on the floor away from Muu. As if seeing their opening, the Vastagian Hunters stepped forward ready to attack despite Narsus' repeated assurances that she meant them no harm. The moment they were too close for his comfort, Muu rounded Noé, keeping her between his feet as he roared back to scare them away. Between his feet, Noé couldn't see much—not like her blurring vision was any help, either—but through the gaps she managed to grasp an idea of the scene before her.

Muu's warning must've worked. It must have or they wouldn't have stopped. Or maybe it hadn't been him at all. Not when through her fading vision, Noé saw a glimpse of gold that reflected the bleak sun back at them all. There wasn't time for her to figure out which it had been though. By the time whatever that golden reflection had been stood before them, her vision had gone dark and with it her consciousness yet again.

—{ii}—

Noé was getting really tired of fainting so easily. She knew she was growing weaker ever since the parasite's advancement but she didn't imagine that it would leave her in such a state where just keeping awake was a struggle.

The scent of earth and spices welcomed her like it had before, but along with it was another smell. One she hated that even after millennia of not smelling it, she recognized all too well.

The stench of clay and humidity.

Noé knew they were underground even before she opened her eyes. Torches clung to the walls and were the only faint source of light they had to help her adjust to her surroundings. She found Muu cradling her with his body and keeping her warm from the cool underground air. Unlike before, though, his body wasn't the least bit relaxed. A quick glance over at him gave her all the proof she needed. Muu couldn't be any more on edge had he wanted to.

Scanning the rest of their new abode showed her a small cave with a simple mantle beneath them and whose entrance was heavily guarded by a trio of Hunters. Two faced outward on either side while the third stood between them facing inward towards them.

As if just now having noticed her awake, the one facing them turned to whisper to the Hunter beside him. Noé leaned back against Muu and let the walls of the underground do their work as the best acoustic she had ever known.

Though rusty in conversational Vastagian, she could still make out the gist of their hushed one-liner.

"Inform didysis seniūnas the prisoner has awakened."

Again with this Grand Elder bullshit.

Noé hadn't heard much else about their supposed patriarch from Narsus other than they were one of the oldest Vastagians alive and was one of the few that had seen their world before the 'great darkness' had taken over—their way of referring to what happened to Alma Torran, apparently.

The soldier beside the doorway mobilized instantly and left. It wasn't long thereafter that the soldiers guarding the only exit stepped away as another Vastago entered their little cave…all while carrying a couple of bowls of what appeared to be stew in their hands.

Astonished at first, Noé could do nothing else except stare at the bowls they slowly settled on the floor before them. What was more, they weren't afraid to approach them even as Muu growled deeply in his throat as a warning to keep their distance. It was then that Noé realized the Vastagian wasn't moving slowly out of caution but out of age.

"You must be the Grand Elder we've been hearing so much about." Her voice lilted with a heavy accent she hadn't used in ages. Beside her, Muu's ears perked up at her voice. He wouldn't be able to understand whatever they said but if her tone changed, he'd be able to pick up. "I'll say that I fail to see what's so grand about you, despite having the elder thing down perfectly."

The Hunters that were now facing inwardly towards them scowled at her blatant disrespect but all the Vastagian elder did in response was let out a hearty chuckle.

"And you haven't changed in the least. Just as youthful and straightforward as that day."

Her brow furrowed at their—his—words. Did he know her? If what Narsus said about him being someone who remembered Alma Torran before it fell, were they someone she knew? She couldn't fathom such a thing. The oldest Vastagian in their tribe had been Andromalius and even then the old crone didn't seem anywhere near her 5,000 years. Yet this old bat appeared to be at the end of his rope at 10,000.

"You must be asking yourself who I am to have said that to you by the expression on your face."

"Yes, frankly," she said dryly. "I don't recall knowing such an old crow in my lifetime."

That hearty chuckle left him once more as his tired eyes opened at last with fine wrinkling lines folding around the edges.

"Time does pass quite differently between both sides," he explained. "What is almost the entirety of my life has been but a blink in yours, surely. All the same, I don't expect to be remembered either when our meeting was such a short one."

Unable to keep it to herself anymore, Noé let her query be heard. "Who are you?"

The old crow, as if having awaited the question, smiled warmly, the creases in his eyes wrinkling even further from how wide it became as he reached over behind his back and under the golden silk cloak he used. Muu's claws dug into the hard earth, piercing the mantle beneath them in warning, but Noé simply placed a soothing hand over his paw.

It's alright, she was saying. Let him.

Muu took a moment to quiet down but his claws remained out. Unafraid, the elder continued reaching back and grabbed what seemed to be his wing as he picked it out from underneath his cloak. It was a deep red but of a much duller hue and was ripped at places where sinew and bone had been pierced and cut, most likely, by the steel of a weapon.

Or the steel of a Vastagian's steel feathers.

Once fully on display, that warm smile and wrinkly eyes turned to her as he spoke the answer to her question.

"A friend."

Confusion gripped her at first. She had never once referred to a Vastago as a friend. Not a single—

No… She had.

Once.

To one frightened fledgling halfbreed that along with others had been slaves to the purebloods. A young boy who stirred the rest of the slaves in rebellion against her aunt at her word, obeying her as the winner of that conclave and who they considered their true vedlys.

Finally, her gaze softened as her shoulders fell seeing a fleeting similarity between the old crow he was now and the scared boy he used to be.

"You're that boy…" she said, "the one who called me the desecrated vedlys."

The elder gave a solemn nod. "It's a pleasure and honor to see you again, vedlys." His creased eyes turned then to Muu who hadn't altogether relaxed despite her insisting. When speaking this time, the old crow used a more common language, the one Noé remembered learning from Teosa and the others in the Resistance. The common tongue of Alma Torran. "You must be our vedlys's mate."

His accent was heavy, even heavier than hers, but by the sputter that came from Muu at the sudden query, it hadn't been thick enough to not be understood. When he couldn't find the words to reply, she stepped in with a small half-grin.

"Something like that," she said simply, speaking in a language he would be able to understand, and laid her hand gently upon the paw that rested by her side. His claws finally retracted. "I thought you all left for the new world when Alma Torran was abandoned."

"Chief Andromalius gave us the choice to join," he explained. "Some of us did. Most of us, however, could guess the sort of treatment we would endure on the other side. We were never looked upon favorably, even by our so-called chief. Much less by our fellow Vastagian. We doubted that would change even after we left Alma Torran. Most of those who stayed behind were those enslaved that were freed the day of the coup."

"You could have found better lives separate from the purebloods," she said. Somehow, Noé didn't quite believe her own words.

"I'm sure we could have. I'm sure those who left did the best of the situation given to them." The elder shrugged one of his lanky shoulders, his silken cloak and damaged wing shifting with the movement. "Those of us who stayed did the same. For as uninhabitable as our world became, the few patches of land that survived and healed became our home. The one we now share with the Red Lions and the beings that thrive in his desolate piece of land."

For the first time since the conversation started, Muu saw it fit to put in his two cents worth as his lip lifted to bare a hint of his sharp white canines. "You have an interesting way of showing that camaraderie."

"Desperation does tend to do that to one, son," the elder simply gave him as an answer. Noé could've sworn she imagined the way Muu balked at the sternness of the elder's tone.

"You mean because of the pestilence?" she asked.

He nodded. "Ever since the violent spread of the maras across the land, our resources have run thin as it has ravaged through the land. We make do with what our Hunters bring to feed our people. Whatever it may be."

"Naras mentioned you all being infected by it," she mentioned, cutting straight to the point. "And about being sent out in search of medicine. Now, I know you wouldn't send out a fledgling scout on a wild goose chase, which leads me to believe that you already know what this medicine looks like and where to possibly find it."

His expression turned solemn and had Noé scowling at the prospect of what he was about to lay on them.

Apparently, when the mist and parasites first appeared and the infections began, there existed a cure. All those on this piece of land knew of it and could easily seek it out to use it. Back then it hadn't been a terminal illness as it was now because the supply was enough to cover the demands, he explained. But with the passing of the years, the mists became more frequent, the parasites spread faster, and the infections became deadlier. The demand rose with its growing devastation and soon the supply became scarce. They had been lucky on one hand, according to him, because despite being nearest to where the mist struck first when it would come, they had possession of the last batch of medicine and protected and grew it as if their lives depended on it. Because they did. But by the same token, because their lands would be the first struck every time, it meant that their quarry suffered great losses and affected them in turn.

I see. That's why Narsus was so far away from his tribe.

The boy had gone out of their lands to hunt. But had done so by going into the piece of land the Red Lions inhabited. Infected Red Lions.

"You don't share the medicine with those beyond your borders."

It wasn't a question yet he saw fit to nod, unabashedly.

"As the elder, I must first and foremost look after my people," he simply said. "A few decades ago, the mist began spreading far beyond just the living creatures. Now the flora has begun to be affected as well, and with it, our medicine depletes even faster. We cannot be expected to help others when we can barely spare to help ourselves."

"If your concern is with your people, then using some to cure her shouldn't be an issue." Noé's emerald eyes veered sideways towards Muu at his query. No, scrap that. It'd been a command. One thinly veiled under that gentle tone.

Under his cloak, the elder Vastago's shoulders squared as if noticing the veiled threat. "For as much as I would like to oblige, I am afraid my people still stand overall. Even you, vedlys."

Welp, so much for that.

The snarl that came from Muu was instant and had the guards stepping into the cave with their bows at the ready and arrows knocked, aimed at him. Despite her own frustration, Noé couldn't blame him in the least. So instead she pushed Muu's head down and bowed her own head slightly in respect and understanding.

"We understand," she said but met his gaze as she raised her head. "In that case, would you allow me the courtesy of showing me the medicine? So we know what to search for beyond your lands."

The elder thankfully obliged to that one simple request at least. Atop Muu, Noé and he followed the elder and the handful of Hunters that guided them through the underground hive they called home. Despite her curiosity to see how they had managed to live for so many hundreds of thousands of years on a land that had been deemed unlivable, she refrained from looking for too long. Being this deep underground with no light and such cramped spaces made Noé queasy.

Instead, she pressed her head down against Muu's neck and grasped the sides of his head, inhaling deeply the aroma of the earth and spices to block out the dampness and smell of clay.

Along with the imaginary smell of iron that came and went if she closed her eyes for long enough.

The elder led them closer and closer to the surface with each step until they were on the tunnel systems that were just one ceiling shy of breaching the surface. Muu had trouble fitting through the cavernous entrances that grew smaller, but managed to enter the small cavern by crouching and crawling after the elder as the Hunters that had followed behind them stayed outside.

What welcomed them on the other side left her speechless.

The rays of the moon spilled in through an opening high above the cavern. Such a small hole cast a much larger ray as it touched upon the pond of fresh water that sat at the center of the cave giving it an ethereal glow like that of shimmering diamonds. But what astonished her the most was what surrounded the pond—a small garden of white lilies.

Lunar Tears.

"These…are what cures the pestilence?" she breathed in disbelief.

The elder nodded as he stood in front of them as if he alone would guard this small place from any who dared threaten it. Even them.

"Yes. Mėnulio ašaros," he said, pronouncing the Vastagian equivalent for the flower's name with that heavy lilt of their language. "Gifts from the child of the moon, stories say. Tears of joy made manifest. Joy that cleanses the impurities of that hateful disease."

A joy that cleanses a hateful disease.

The image of that white grove that had once been filled to the brim with those white lilies and now laid as barren and desiccated as her own throat came to mind. Of the grand old oak that stood in its midst, the gilded cage within its bowels…and the dark mist that drifted through the bars.

Her touch..seeping through—Wrath's touch.

That was the source. And those white lilies were the cure.

Lilies that grow plentiful in my garden back in Reim.

"Boy, if I told you I could get you more of these Tears, would you allow me to cure myself here to be able to bring them to you?"

Those wrinkling eyes creased further as he turned towards me. "I would if I were gullible enough to believe you to tell the truth."

This time it was Noé's time to snarl back at him, but after a brief moment to think, his response was quite reasonable. Smart even. He had no way to discern she was being truthful, even if he respected her as their vedlys after all this time. Regardless of whether he did or not, Noé had the answer she had crossed the Great Rift for.

A way to kill the parasite and spare herself from death's door.

"How does it work?" she asked instead. Although wary after the last question she had asked, the elder answered her question.

They used it through the water connected to the flower roots. When they drank it or were submerged in the pond, the disease seemed to be attracted to the flowers. They would seep into it until it left the host and seeped into the flower, consuming it and turning the pure white petals a bright cyan blue. Once changed, the flowers wilted away, and if they were lucky, left behind a white seed that would grow into another Lunar Tear to replace it. Those with barely any signs of infection used up one, perhaps two; those more infected could use up to ten on the low side. Judging by the progress of hers, he surmised, Noé's remedy could very well use up all of theirs. If it were even enough.

It was a cycle.

Sowing the seed, tending it, letting it absorb the parasite and perishing from the infection instead, and leaving behind seeds to be sowed anew. As if its sole purpose was to unite with that parasite and perish along with it.

"Thank you for showing and telling us all this." It was difficult to not overexert herself from how excited she'd become at their discovery. "And despite your disbelief, I will repay your kindness in kind. I will return once I'm better with Lunar Tears for you."

The elder lowered his head in acknowledgment, but something about the slack of his shoulders told her that he wasn't as enthused about this as she thought he should be.

"If what you say is true then I appreciate what you will do," he said. Noé could hear the 'but' coming from a mile away. "However, even that will only delay the inevitable. The mist continues to spread at faster rates every time it comes. What took years now takes months, perhaps weeks by the time you return. Your generosity would be wasted."

"You can't mean to tell us to just leave you to die like that," Muu contested.

The elder's features tightened as he frowned. That was exactly what he was telling them. Noé could understand his logic as well. Her bringing over Lunar Tears would just be her trying to cover the sun with her thumb. It wouldn't solve the main problem: the disease.

One that stems from Grand Oak…from Ira.

The reflection of the first rays of the sun blinded her as they suddenly reflected off of the pond's surface. Without her noticing, night had long passed and had allowed what little bit of light the weakened sun on this side allowed. A fraction of their own, yet still as bright. Still as strong as it chased away the shadows of the night.

Chased away…

Her emerald eyes widened a fraction as her hand reached up to the side of her face where Grace of Sunlight was. Where she as the sun held her powers.

Stronger than any light and capable of chasing away the deepest darkness.

Perhaps even contain it.

Muu yelped from how tightly Noé suddenly gripped his mane. Before he could ask her what the matter was, Noé was already pulling him towards the exit of the cave.

"Elder! Lend me a few of your hunters!" It took him a moment to ask why her sudden request and Noé could do nothing else except grin despite her exhaustion. "I think I may be able to contain the mist from its source and stop it from spreading!"

It was difficult to explain all the logistics and hoops that were now running a mile a second in her head as Noé tried to formulate what all she could do. She had ceased being a magician the day she contracted Andromalius and left her dungeon. But Noé had always been capable of wielding one kind of magic flawlessly after much practice—Light magic. It could be used for many things, and though her penchant for its use was violence, it could also protect as it did when magicians used borgs.

And 'protection' was such a subjective term. Especially when, if cast upon another instead of on oneself, a borg could very well be the same as a seamless prison.

The elder and Muu understood her intentions then. If she could cast a dome of light large enough to then minimize, it would contain the area of the Grand Oak and all its exits into this land. It wouldn't stop the mist and parasites from reproducing, but it would sure as hell stop it from spreading.

All she asked in return was to be healed with his batch. Just so that she'd be able to then go and come back with more Lunar Tears as promised to heal the sickly.

To his credit, the old crow gave her the benefit of doubt then and took a chance on her just like he had that day years ago. With a handful of Hunters with her, she and Muu guided them back as close as she dared get them to the Grand Oak. Despite it being in a different pocket of space, Noé could see how it seeped from under the earth, contaminating it.

If she could make this work, it could very well save more lives than a few Lunar Tears ever could.

"Don't push yourself too hard," Muu warned.

A half-grin came to her lips at that as the great Fanalis helped her down from his back as best he could. "I could have sworn every gold I have that you out of anybody would've tried to stop me from doing something as crazy as this."

Muu chortled, the gesture sounding more like a low and short growl than anything. "Give me some credit, Noé. I think we both know I know better than to stop you when you're this determined about something."

"Right, right," she chuckled softly, the exhaustion hitting her as soon as she attempted to stand on her own. Seeing her this weak still had him standing at her side for her to lean against. "I'll admit it's gonna take a hell of a lot from me the way I am."

"Then I'll be here to carry you back when you faint."

"Third time's the charm?" she jested with a raised brow.

"Hopefully, it'll be worth more than a headache this time." Noé could appreciate his effort to joke around with her as if this wasn't something that they both knew would take a great toll with how she was now. But it was the best option they had.

The right choice.

Steady as she could manage to stand, Noé faced the direction where she knew the Grand Oak stood. Even without seeing it, even without entering the barren place that it now was, Noé knew better than anybody where Teosa's cage was. Where Ignis's broken statue lay.

Lend me your strength, friend. 'Cause I'm going to need it.

Noé unleashed Grace of Sunlight before her hesitation won over her. Like the blast of a mighty explosion, the shock released from her powers had the Hunters present there with her recoiling. Only she and Muu stood firm as the power was set free.

Creating a borg wasn't a strange way to use her powers. She had created countless shields before. But Noé knew that it would take more than just a simple borg to contain whatever continuously seeped from out of Ira's prison. It would take a much larger barrier—much more powerful.

One that would keep her from reaching outward and eating away at the rukh on this side of the Rift to create her parasites.

If it used rukh to create them…then it's magic. And if it's magic…

Barking back at the Hunters who cowered behind them, Noé gave her orders to them. Using Grace of Sunlight, she created pillars of light around the perimeter of the Grand Oak's space—beacons for them to go to and draw on the ground the same symbol she was showing them how to draw before her feet. Eight would have to be enough—it'd be the least she would be able to manage without wrecking herself to pieces and still be able to erect the barrier.

As she sent them away and they reluctantly followed orders, it seemed Muu finally managed to piece together what she was trying to do.

"Are you trying to create an Isolation Barrier around her?"

"Magic is magic," she explained to him as she sensed a few of the Vastagian hunters reach the nearest beacons. "Whether it's cast by a magician or a terrifying primal being it doesn't matter. So long as it's cast here in this world, it follows its rules. I may not have been involved in casting that barrier in Alma Torran, but I scoured over Ugo's books hundreds of times over to not know the basics of how to cast this."

"Didn't they use the Divine Staves in Alma Torran, though?"

"That's what the symbols are for." Stepping on the crude drawing on the ground made it easier for her to channel Grace of Sunlight and create a perfect imitation of one of the divine staves she remembered from Alma Torran.

Alongside it, she sensed her powers being used as the other seven were created, standing as substitutes for what the real things would have stood for. Locks.

Noé felt the hotness of the seal as it shone brightly on her face and grunted through gritted teeth despite the lopsided grin she gave him. "Get ready. If I fall face first because you weren't fast enough to catch me, you'll have hell to pay when I wake up."

"Don't worry," Muu simply said, confidently. Resolutely. "I'll always be there to catch you."

Those words in themselves gave her more strength than anything ever could have.

With one last deep breath, Noé unleashed Grace of Sunlight, casting the spell she recalled from Ugo's books. A streak of golden light shot outward from the replica stave she stood before towards the beacons on either side, hitting them and continuing onward until all connected. Instead of black walls like she remembered them, a transparent wall tinged gold began rising from the lines created, touching the ground first before continuing upward towards the sky to create a dome.

A sphere to contain it from above and below.

As if sensing the threat, that dark mist rolled out from the cracks it had found or created through the space it was in. Faster than the mist, the parasites that were nothing more than black amalgamates with cyan cracks skittered towards them as if knowing them to be the source of what was happening around them.

Because she does. Ira knows.

Noé could hear her—sense her—as Teosa's voice distorted with a mighty cry that threatened to throw her off balance. Sensing her unsteady footing, Muu instantly placed his muzzle down before her, catching her as he had promised before she could fall forward from the sudden hit. The shrills continued inside her head, hurting her and causing the parasite to run amok across her body, spreading further, but even despite that Noé stood resolute with Muu's help.

The parasite crashed against the walls of the Isolation Barrier before the mist did, but both rolled over only to climb over each other in a frantic attempt to reach the yet unfinished ceiling and escape. Seeing this, Noé poured her all into Grace of Sunlight, commanding it into finishing the barrier before they could escape.

It did.

With a blink of light as the edges united, the barrier closed and through the transparent glass-like walls, Noé watched the insides be consumed and enveloped in that mist, walls crawling with those parasites, but unable to escape.

A long sigh escaped her as the overexertion hit her. Noé, however, fell to her knees pleased with her work, a faint smile coming over her as Muu single-handedly placed her once more along his back. Sadly, though, as the Hunters returned to their side, slack-jawed at what they had witnessed, another problem arose.

One in the form of very large Red Lions.

The Vastagian hunters nocked their bows, their arrows aimed at the beasts that stood much larger than any of them. Even Muu as he stood to his full height and snarled at the pack of Fanalis that appeared out of the blue couldn't be much more than two-thirds of their height.

Purebloods, she barely managed to think to herself.

Muu had always said how he would never be a match for those of the Fanalis Corp that were purebloods unlike him and Myron. Noé wouldn't deny that even she could barely keep up with them, and that had been when she had full use of Chief Andromalius and Grace of Sunlight together. Now weak as she was, she doubted she'd be anything more than a burden on him who was in an already disadvantageous state.

But something about them was odd. Off, somehow. Lifting her head with whatever strength she still had, Noé inspected them from her place. They were hunching low in a stance that said they were ready for any attack should it come, but they were not growling as blatantly as Muu was.

They're ready for a fight, but they aren't going to be the ones to initiate it.

Weakly, Noé breathed a low, "Wait," to Muu who instantly stopped his growling and tipped his head to the side to listen. She hadn't the strength to say anything beyond that though.

Good thing they didn't have to wait long.

From the parting ranks of the Fanalis, one strode forward, looking at each of its comrades in turn as if telling them to stand down. Something they did after the same bit of hesitation that Muu had shown her. Huh, was it just her or was there something about its gait that seemed strange? It was limping slightly on its front leg, almost as if it were in….jured… It couldn't be. Daring a closer look, though, gave her a peek view of the miasma on its back, matting its deep red fur, as well as of a several days' old wound. Well, shit.

Everything came to bite her in the ass in the end, didn't it?

The great lion towered over Muu, but to his credit, the cub didn't balk even an inch. He stood proudly while keeping Noé away from it as well as he could without outright dropping her as she tried her best to hide her face for just a moment longer.

"You erected the barrier, boy?" The lilt in their voice was different to theirs—to the Vastagian tongue—but it was understandable and it reminded her a lot of that soothing ring that she loved from Muu's own voice.

"No," he proclaimed. "My…My mate did."

It was strange to hear him say that. To hear him call her what the Grand Elder of the Vastago had assumed of them when he saw them. What Vastago referred to their significant other as. More than a term of endearment it was one of commitment. One Noé never thought she'd hear another say about her. But dire circumstances, she supposed.

The slick eyes of that grand beast lowered to her on his back. Their nostrils flared as if sniffing the air around them.

"You smell of the sun."

Why does he sound surprised?

"Are you a magician or are you a Vastagian?"

All Noé managed to get out was a faint "no" before Muu took over. "She's both. Of human and Vastagian blood."

"A bastard like all the others," it said with a slight growl at bastard.

Noé's whole body shook from how deep Muu's snarl was. "Is that how you refer to the one that just stopped the plague that has been haunting you for hundreds of years?"

He must have noticed what she had, those patches of fur marred in deep purple miasma. Parasites eating away at them the same way they were doing to all the halfbreed Vastago underground.

"A reprieve. Nothing more," the larger lion said.

"No." Finding the strength to somehow sit up, Noé made the effort to lift herself up to meet the grand lion. Her neck hurt from how far back she had to tilt it. "So long as I live, so long as the seals remain intact and Grace of Sunlight is kept away from its reach, that barrier will stand. If you've been here since Alma Torran…then you understand…what an Isolation Barrier can do."

As if this made them contemplate their current predicament, the de facto leader of the pack turned over their shoulders to meet the eyes of each Fanalis before returning to face her.

"Who are you, whelp?"

"I am no whelp." This was the first time anybody had called her as such in years and she abhorred it with every fiber of her being. She had not lived through all she had to be called a kid and presumed naive. Puffing out her chest, Noé donned a cold, stern glare that would've made any sane man cower. "I am part of the ones who kept the Archives of all the species in Alma Torran. It's Head Recorder, Noé Raudania. And the keeper of one of the seven gifts that made up this world and its magic."

If they were as old as they considered her young then the recognition that flashed in their eyes wasn't much of a surprise. They knew her, or at least heard of her. And as the leader's eyes scoured the impenetrable barrier once more, the mist unable to escape, it lowered its head as if nodding. Acceptance.

"Then we thank you, recorder, for the reprieve you have lent us." It was with that that the leader turned to leave, crossing through their pack as they parted for him.

Noé wanted to speak, to stop them before they left to tell them the same thing that she had told the old crow underground. But with so much energy spent, she couldn't keep her head up any longer, much less speak. Thankfully, Muu understood her desperation for what it was and called for their attention before they could leave.

"She wishes to extend forth a bargain."

The leader stopped just as the rest were starting to turn to follow. Those sharp angled crimson eyes stared back at her. Noé had long ceased being afraid of them. Ever since those same kinds of eyes had gazed down at her with so much love in them.

"Why would we strike a bargain with a Vastagian, much less a bastard?"

Noé first had to do her best to grip at Muu's mane to keep him from snarling, even if a little growl did escape him in the end, before whispering to him what she wanted to say.

"Because she can bring you both Vastagian and Fanalis more medicine to cure those among you who are sick."

"From where exactly? Your sorely lacking reserves?" the leader scowled with a low growl, showing its disdain and impatience. "You Vastagians have kept the cure to yourselves for thousands of years since the beginning of this pestilence and now you wish to bargain my people's lives for what? Submission?"

"Mutual partitioning of resources," Muu quickly interjected without my need to tell him. As if he understood where I meant to go with all this. I was never good with politics. Muu, however, had a gift for it despite being relegated as the Fanalis Corps' captain and he used it well as he continued on without further input. "The Vastago will share with you rations of its patches. Teach you how to foster and care for the cure to further harvest it. We shall provide the necessary flowers from our own batch beyond the Great Rift where they thrive. Where they will continue to do so as a reserve in case yours runs low. In exchange, you will allow the Vastagian Hunters to hunt in your territories."

"Preposterous!" one of the ones in line barked out. "We stand to lose more with such loose terms!"

"They will only hunt…what is needed," Noé quickly interjected when she saw it might get ugly. "Catch prey to breed and harvest as you will the flower. They won't just waste resources…they'll compensate for their depletions, as well. Keep the balance."

"Sustainability," Muu finished for her. "Give back what they take as you will too by tending and replanting the flowers instead of just reaping and using them."

"What about yourself?" the leader of the pack finally proclaimed above the ruckus their comrades began to make. "What do you stand to gain out of this bargain, young recorder?"

Peace of mind, she thought to herself. For Teosa. For what she was, what she became. Even if there had been no way to stop it, Noé had, in a way, brought it upon them when she and Shuri brought her back that first time. Because it was afterward when she began to lose it—when Teosa was lost and Ira took her place.

Or maybe that's what she had been all along…and I just didn't want to see it.

Regardless, it would give her a little peace of mind. For her, that would be enough.

"Treatment," she said instead, voice hoarse from the dryness of it. She tasted dried blood and coughed. "I'm in need of it. Urgently."

"You are plagued as well." It wasn't a question. They must have smelled it on her just like they had smelled the sun. "To a great extent."

"As she said," Muu continued as her breathing became more labored than before, stopping her from speaking further. "It's urgent. What the Vastago have won't suffice. We won't make it to where our own is in time before it consumes her either. And if it does—"

Noé heard the implicit threat louder than her own weakened heartbeat.

If I die, that barrier leaves with me.

A threat and a promise.

They contemplated it for as long as it took her to take a long bated breath before nodding. Noé's relief left her through another long breath and took with it all the energy she managed to muster. Everything after that long breath was a blur and hard to keep track of. Noé hardly try, either, and instead relied on her dulled senses. She could feel Muu's body rumble as he spoke but couldn't comprehend much of what he said anymore. Couldn't hear him or distinguish the words. She felt the air as he galloped through the lands. Where to, she wasn't sure and neither could she be bothered to care at that point.

Before she knew it, Noé felt cold. The smells of the earth and spices gone. She had been dismounted from Muu's back. Her mind fought for her to resist wanting to lay there longer and savor the warmth only because she hadn't noticed how freezing cold she'd become.

Water suddenly surrounded her as she was submerged feet first into lukewarm water. First her feet, then her legs and torso then up to her shoulders. The water took her in gladly as if embracing her had been all it had ever wanted to do. Her hearing muffled as she slid further into the water and felt it and all the air vanish from her as she was fully submerged.

The weight of it all fell upon her then. Her clothes felt heavy, her wing heavier still. It was an anchor, a chain tied to a cinder block sinking her deeper and deeper and deeper—almost long enough to think there was no floor underwater—until she touched the bottom.

And as she lay there with that warmth surrounding her, Noé heard a voice. A familiar one.

"Honestly. And you had the nerve to complain about 'babysitting' me."

It was such a chastising tone but also playful in a very awkward manner. Noé didn't have the mind to think further than that.

"Don't worry, everything will be okay. Just breathe."

Noé did as she was told, the gentleness of that warmth seeping into her as she took a deep breath. Suddenly, an oppression sank into her chest urging her to spit everything out but she heard them tell her to hold it. To let her take everything away. To let it return to her. Noé didn't understand but still did as she was told in spite of the pain.

Another breath, more oppression, but held it.

It took a couple more times of that before she heard them again.

"That's good enough. You'll be okay now. Go."

Her body began floating despite the heaviness, despite all that oppression still in her chest weighing her down along with her wing. And as she floated higher and higher, Noé heard them again, further this time, as after a soft chuckle they spoke.

"Oh, and Noé, don't let go of him. You deserve to be happy, too."

The next thing Noé knew as her eyes snapped open was the violent need for her to vomit…which she did straight back into the water that was beside her. Heaving over and over until she felt the water that had been stuck in her chest finally leave. Until it didn't feel heavy anymore. Until she could finally discern who the hell was yelling so loudly right by her ear.

"Noé! Noé!? Say something, please!"

"So damn loud," she coughed, voice wry. .

Warmth enveloped her before she could do much else. So out of balance was she that the tackle brought her down onto the ground as whatever had been shouting at her smothered her from above.

Something that smelled of the rich earth and fragrant spices.

Of him.

"Muu, you're suffocating me," she managed to grumble beyond the mounds of red fur.

Instantly, the red ball of fluff that had been over her leaped back, apologizing as he went, but Noé did little to assuage his guilt other than chuckle and pat the side of his snout teasingly. Muu gently leaned into the palm of her hand, licking at it with his tongue before turning to nuzzle against the crook of her neck and licking her there as well, his tongue trailing from her neck all the way up to her cheek.

"Welcome back."

The elder's voice came tentatively, almost as if he hadn't wanted to interrupt but saw the need to in order to corroborate her current state. As he and a couple of other healers checked her, Noé's emerald eyes scanned her surroundings to find herself at the cavern she'd seen hours before. That same pond, same opening overhead, but the flowers…

They weren't white anymore.

All the flowers that had surrounded the pond were now a vibrant cyan color that shone brightly under the waning moonlight. It wasn't just the flowers planted around it either. More of those lilies, from petals to stems to their roots, floated in the pond covering its surface in its entirety. Those were also the same vibrant cyan color as the others.

All of them were infected. All of them having been used up…to heal her.

A gentle breeze blew through the opening above her head and as it passed through a low whistle rang out. As it passed around them, dancing across the ground and over the pond, the cyan petals, brittle as freshly fallen snowflakes, crumbled into nothing but blue dust that sparkled like a thousand sapphires in the air as they were lifted by the dancing gust of wind that came and left.

"They were enough," was all she overheard one of the healers say to the elder and to the rest of them. "All those mėnulio ašaros cleansed the pestilence completely from her body."

As if unable to believe them, Noé removed the wet sleeve off her shoulder. It was clean. Not a trace of that damn parasite to be found. Well, if one didn't count the large patch of lightened skin that contrasted against the rest of its olive color. A scar yet more intricate in its form. As if someone had gone and brushed whorls and swirls across the left side of her body where the black miasma had once been. She couldn't feel them, but she could see them.

Muu nuzzled his snout against her cheek, taking the attention away from the blatant staring she'd been doing. As if her distaste had been blatant on her face, he whispered near her ear, "You're beautiful."

Huh…

She didn't remember it being so warm underground.

The healers along with the elder fussed over her as she tried to stand. Muu would've too, she surmised, if the space had allowed, but he did his best to compensate for that by guiding her out of the cavern and into the open lands bathed in the moonlight where an odd combination of people waited for them.

Vastagian and Fanalis, standing side by side, waiting. Patiently.

For her.

Right, the barrier.

"It's intact." It was the first thing she could think of saying with how foggy her mind still felt and with how much it took from her concentration to even stand right now. "The barrier will hold."

Relief washed over the crowd. Some Vastagians cheered. Some Fanalis howled. But what they did, they did together. Side by side. If her past nightmares had been filled with monsters that could rip throats and disembowel fledglings, then she supposed her future dreams would be a scene much like this one. Of their people together as one single front.

For the short while, it would last anyway. Knowing better than to wait for it to break, Noé did it herself although laying the good news first and foremost.

"Thank you for helping to heal me," she began. "Because of the flowers you brought and the ones from the Vastagians, I'll be alright and so will the barrier." One of them within the crowd voiced what many were thinking, 'would she now be bringing more medicine?'. "I will," was her answer. "I will go fetch half of what I have and bring it for you to share between you both. As such I ask you to keep your end of the bargain as well. Teach each other, feed each other. Help each other live, rather than just survive by yourselves."

A solemn chorus of 'yes' and 'of course' rang out from most. Some remained quiet. Noé's lips pursed. It didn't come as a shock. She knew some wouldn't be keen on being nice to people who'd been their enemies. People they had considered prey or predators alike. But they would have to learn if only to keep her happy and keep the barrier intact.

As the crowd died and talk began amongst themselves as to how they would begin to partition resources, the leader of the pack of Fanalis and the Elder Crow came forward to stand between Muu and her.

"We thank you for the barrier, young recorder," the Fanalis said.

"And for your promise to help cure the ill. All of them," the elder added.

"You helped me. I'm just repaying your kindness," she said to the elder crow before turning to the pack leader of the Fanalis with a wry smile. "Also sorry about stabbing you…and slamming you against the mountainside."

A great rumble sounded from his chest. A laugh, full and guttural.

"It has been a while since someone went against me and lasted, much less someone your size," the Fanalis leader added bringing a giant paw over her head. Noé yelped and would've been smothered by it had Muu not removed it before it could. "You'd make a fine sparring partner, young one."

"Maybe some other day after I come back with the promised delivery." Noé attempted to move only to falter in her step and be caught by Muu's muzzle yet again. She groaned into his fur before saying loudly enough to be heard over the muffle of his snout, "And when I can properly stand on my own, too."

"You should rest before you depart," the Elder Crow said, slight worry etched on his creased brow. "The treatment may have cured your pestilence but it has done nothing against the exhaustion it has caused up to this point."

Noé shook her head and asked Muu to help her get on his back. He happily obliged. "Thanks but I'd rather make haste back to get those flowers. There's still plenty of your people sick and I don't want those in much worse state than I to slip away because I wasted time."

"Our people can withstand long enough," the Fanalis assured. The Old Crow echoed his statement.

Muu rumbled beneath me, his chuckle low and rich just like his voice. "Trust me when I say that you'll be better off saving your breath. She's not going to budge."

Both leaders turned to one another and chuckled amongst themselves. It was the Old Crow then that spoke for the both of them as he said, "Of course. Who better to know her than her mate."

Again with the mate stuff.

"I thought Vastagian customs looked down upon interspecies relations," she spat, slightly defensively. "I'm finding it hard to believe you're so accepting about…well, us."

"You speak of the old guard and those unlike you and me. Purebloods might have looked down upon them, but what harm is there truly in them? None that I see, if you ask me. Besides, you see stranger things when you're as old as I am," the elder claimed with a chortle. "Like an Icaunus and a drake."

"Or an ifrit with an asteri," the Fanalis added.

How specific. Too specific. Noé was about to question who exactly they were referring to but decided against it in the end. Another time.

"We'll be on our way then," she told them. "We'll come back as soon as we can with what we promised."

"Safe journey to you both."

She nodded in thanks before lowering her head so her mouth rested just beside Muu's ear. "Ready to go?" When he didn't so much as move or react, it struck Noé as strange and had her reaching down to touch the side of his snout and whisper with concern etched in her voice. "Everything alright?"

As if having been lost in his own thoughts, Muu slowly nodded and nestled his muzzle against her open palm, licking it before facing forward.

"Let's get going."

Noé had wanted to ask what the matter was because she sensed something wasn't right about his answer, but didn't have the time to when he suddenly took off at full speed towards the wall that separated the Great Rift from their world.

Towards home.

---

A/N:

I've had more than half of this written out already but hadn't had the time to get around to finishing it. But after the type of week I had last week I needed a distraction; so between playing Genshin and reading, I got around to finishing this. It was actually going to end way differently from this, but after I got around writing the meat of the chapter I realized that it was already 50+ pages and I still needed to get them through the other side of the Great Rift and that's a whole other scene on itself and would've easily added another 10 or 15 pages. So in the end I was just like "let's cut it out here" and this is what ya'll are seeing atm.

A lot of stuff happened this time around. A few revelations that weren't really all out surprises hopefully if I laid out the breadcrumbs correctly about Teosa. I feel like next chapter is going to be a little all over the place so bear with me while I try to put that together this weekend. Maybe I'll finish it in between studying for an exam on monday.

Once again, thank you to everybody who's keeping up with TM as I trudge through the last stretch of this story. I'm looking forward to writing that ending for you guys but also kinda sad bc it'll mean that I'll have to say goodbye to Noé (for a while anyway).

For now, i hope you enjoyed and stay tuned for the next update!

Lots of love,

— Evie.