Breaks:
[L1,2 or 3] represents the beginning of a flashback to one of Elena's past lives. There is more than one past life, which is why they're numbered. Though, these memories are usually told as she sleeps and Elena herself cannot remember them.
[/L1,2 or 3] represents the end of a flashback to one of Elena's past lives.
[P] represents the beginning of a retelling of a memory in Elena's current life.
[/P] represents the end of a retelling of a memory in Elena's current life.
~3~ is just a timeskip
AN: This chapter's a tad short compared to the rest... but it was that or be absurdly long. Anyhow, thank you for reading and enjoy the story!
Amalia's words sounded on loop in my mind. 'It doesn't want to hurt you, Elena'.
I wondered if that was actually true. The pile of bones in the terrarium certainly pointed to a different conclusion.
The plant monster roamed just outside said terrarium. It's feelers swayed around the outside of the buzzing white energy, never quite touching it. Legs rose and fell like a wave across the length of it's body. A body that glowed with the same emblems seen on the cavern walls and ceiling.
'I'm convinced. It doesn't want to hurt you, Elena'.
'...it brought something that healed us'. Evangeline's words joined Amalia's and I fisted my burning free hand.
My hands had been ruined beyond anything that I could have thought to do to fix them- not that I could have done much anyhow without the use of my hands to administer anything helpful. While it burns, I can move them again without any problem- as though there wasn't any significant damage done to them in the first place. Something had happened to my ribs, possibly my spine too, and yet I was walking and running and jumping around as though my clothes were covered in thick mud instead of blood.
Last I remember I had been at the plant monster's mercy. It was going to eat me.
But then it didn't.
'...it brought something that healed us'.
There had been plenty of opportunity for the plant monster to hurt me and to eat me. I knew it was fast, I had seen just how fast it had been, had felt how quickly it had wrapped a feeler about me in the root tunnels. Even if I wasn't so tired, I really didn't think I would have been able to get away as I have been. I hadn't forgotten about the plant monster- it had made it's way to me from the other side of the terrarium so quickly Dally hadn't even been able to keep up.
Is that what Amalia had seen too? Was the plant monster really not trying to hurt me? Why? What had changed?
Despite my sight having been blurred at the time, I still clearly recalled the moment when my blood had fallen and splattered across the vivid colors of the plant monster's open flower. Along with the bright light that had nearly blinded me afterwards. A light that had traveled down the creature's body, highlighting the emblems that were still visible now.
My heart thundered in my ears. Eyes widened as I put thoughts to what I'd seen. Was it...? The blood? No... the plant monster was a carnivore. Eating the slug from the ceiling was proof enough of that. Though, if it was only blood that was needed for those blue emblems to appear, then they would have appeared after the plant monster ate said slug. Right? So then..? Was it... my blood? Was there something different about me? But... that made no sense. Why would I be treated differently...?
However, I couldn't deny the fact that I had woken up in a separate terrarium than the others. That I am tired and that I hurt but the plant monster wasn't capturing me. Yet I knew how easily it had captured me before, within the root tunnels. It had clearly demonstrated it's prowess then.
Which only made it's lack of capturing me all the more suspicious.
"You... might be right..." I found myself interrupting before an argument could break out. My voice felt strained with my disbelief.
"Elena-" he started, but Yugo's words died as I shook my head.
"It's so much faster than me." I pointed out to him and the others whom were silently listening, "it should have easily caught me again... So why didn't it?"
His mouth opened, then shut when no answer readily came. My gaze went around to Evangeline and Ruel, skipping over the irate Dally following after the plant monster once again, and stopped on Amalia. She drew herself up importantly.
"It doesn't want to hurt you." Amalia restated, "if you let it show you what it wants then it's likely we'll be able to get out of here without another confrontation with it."
Another? I blinked as the word settled in. Then I really took a look at the princess. She was just as bloody as the rest of us. And it wasn't the sort of amount gained from helping someone who was covered in blood either. The blood was her own. At some point Amalia had been severely injured.
We all had today.
While Amalia's posture held confidence I could see a glint of fear in her eyes. There were skeletons within this terrarium- clear evidence of others who had never escaped. Continuously circling around us was the plant monster that had brought all of us here. Amalia... It was highly likely that Amalia was scared of the plant monster. Probably even more so than I, considering how she can't even talk to it.
...At least that's how any of the villagers would feel if they suddenly couldn't speak with a plant and I knew Amalia had the same magic as them.
With my understanding of her fear, somehow, it felt as though my own started to bleed away. Suddenly, being in an unknown area, trapped in a terrarium with the others, and having a plant monster prowling about seemed less like something to fear and more like a problem to solve.
"You don't need to do any of that if you don't want to, Elena." Evangeline spoke up then and I realized how long I'd let Amalia's statement hang in the air. The earnesty in Evangeline's green eyes was palpable. "We can face it together."
"How can we do that stuck in here?" Amalia shot back with a frown, "we just saw how only Elena can get out for some reason."
"Actually, Amalia," while the anger wasn't completely gone from his posture, Yugo spoke calmly. "Moon was with Elena the whole time."
Both Amalia and Evangeline snapped their startled gazes to me at that statement. I nodded a bit sheepishly at the truth of it.
"I should have taken him off my shoulders..." I admitted near silently as my heart gave a pang at the reminder of how close I'd come to almost hurting my monkey friend on accident.
"No," Ruel answered certainly and my gaze landed on him. He stood with a hand to his chin as he gazed at Moon intently. "I think that's exactly what kept him safe."
While I tilted my head Yugo spoke my thoughts aloud faster, "what do you mean, Ruel?"
"Look at him!" Ruel answered and the certainty in his tone only grew as he spoke. "He has Elena's hat over him and his tail is in her sleeve... He's almost completely concealed."
They did look and I realized what Ruel meant. "You think that's why he didn't get hurt..?" I questioned.
Ruel nodded. "Exactly. The barrier must have thought he was part of what you're wearing."
"Which means it can be tricked." Evangeline stated in realization. Her widened eyes jumped between me and the white energy with calculation.
"How?" Amalia asked skeptically. She put a hand on her hip as a deep frown appeared on her face. "It's not like any of the rest of us can pretend to be clothes."
"Ehhh," Ruel rubbed his chin and made his already scruffy beard even more unkempt. His tone was completely serious yet I felt as though the way he looked between Yugo and I as he spoke was rather... odd. "Yugo could probably pull it off. You wouldn't mind, would you Elena?"
Evidently I wasn't the only one who noticed Ruel's odd behavior. It seemed to upset both Yugo and Evangeline. While Yugo turned red and seemed to freeze, Evangeline gave a glare.
"This isn't the time to be teasing them, Ruel." Evangeline reprimanded much to my continued confusion.
With a smile, "whatever do you mean, my dear Evangeline?" Ruel asked, "when an opportunity arises, it's best not to waist it."
"Lets just focus on getting out of here first." She answered flatly, "any ideas on how to do that instead?"
"I think I know," I answered even though I knew Evangeline had directed her question to Ruel. "If it's one person at a time, I could give you all a hug while I step out of the terrarium. Then you can get out of here through that tunnel." As I spoke I had let go of Yugo's hand to gesture with both my arms. First circling them in example of a hug, then to point to the tunnel that Amalia had revealed before.
"We could let Dally out first." Evangeline nodded along, "he'd take the creature's attention. If I'm out next then I can help him as the rest of you get to the tunnels."
I didn't see a problem with plan so nodded. As I did Evangeline called Dally over. He stomped over with a frown on his face, eyes still following the plant monster that circled around the terrarium, and knuckles white around Rubilax's handle.
"Relax would you?!" The sword complained as it's eye narrowed with annoyance. "If you keep that up I'm going to break before you can even fight that thing!"
"At least then I'd have one less thing to worry about!" Dally growled back to his sword.
"You wanna go!?" Rubilax egged, "release me right now and see if you can take it, stupid Iop!"
"Never again you-!" Dally lifted the blade and whacked it on the ground, causing Rubilax to grunt with pain.
"Sto- ow!- stop- ow!- it-!"
"Dally!" Evangeline barked, snapping all of us out of our thoughts and interrupting the unexpected show.
"What's the matter Eva?" Dally questioned with wide eyes towards the blonde, as though he wasn't in the middle of a fight with his sword at the moment.
"You're going to be the first Elena gets out of here." Evangeline informed him promptly.
"Eh?" Dally questioned with a tilt of his head even as his eyes landed on me in confusion. "You can use your portals, Elena? But why can't Yugo? And why do I have to go through them first?"
"Weren't you listening at all to our conversation?!" Amalia glared and I had to wonder how she thought the red head could be listening to our conversation while he shouted at the plant monster. "She's not using portals to get you out!"
"You're not using portals?" Dally questioned again, clearly still confused but obviously relieved at that news. "Great!" Bouncing back up to his feet he gave me a wide grin as he brandished Rubilax, "lets do this! I'll beat up that creature that thinks it can sneak up on us!"
Here we were trapped somewhere underground. A plant monster paced around our group, it being ready to kill us or not was still debatable. The stench of iron permeated the air around us, covered our clothes, caked to our skin, seeped into the very dirt under our feet. Evidence of death could be found with a glance in the right direction. Weairness was etched into the postures of everyone present.
I couldn't help but tilt my head at Dally curiously. Despite it all none of his enthusiasm had diminished. If anything it had only increased. As though we were all playing a great game and a new challenge to overcome had come our way rather than the possible end to our days.
With both hands on the handle of his sword Dally turned towards the barrier and ran at it full force. As soon as he touched it the energy stretched out with him, only to fling him back into the terrarium before he could take a single step off the dirt. Dally wheezed when his back hit the ground from the air being forced out of his lungs. Eyes closed, he groaned.
"Dally..." Evangeline sighed from behind the hand she had put on her face. "...what are you doing?"
"...getting out?" He answered uncertainly.
"Not like that," I cut in, went over to grab Dally's wrist to help pull him up.
Once he was on his feet I led him over to the barrier with me. Then had him keep his hands to his sides as I did my best to circle my arms around him completely. Dally being both taller and bigger than me, it wasn't quite as simple a task as I thought it would be.
"Now-"
"Wait!" Ruel called out, stopping me from giving Dally the go ahead to try and get through the barrier. Just as I looked over towards Ruel I felt myself be grabbed under the arms and lifted clear off my feet. I couldn't help the surprised squeak that left me from being handled in such a way. "We don't want anything to accidentally get chopped off, do we? Use your legs and your arms together."
It took a second for the advice to register before I realized that Ruel was right. So I held onto Dally like a baby monkey did their mother, using my entire body to cover as much of his as possible. The act in itself wasn't exactly comfortable but that wasn't what the purpose was in the first place. Ruel let me go as soon as I was settled with my arms around Dally's neck and legs wrapped around his waist tightly enough to be able to hold up my own weight.
"How am I supposed to beat the monster like this?" Dally complained and I looked around for said plant monster at the reminder. It was on the other side of the terrarium again. "I can barely move!"
To prove his point Dally tried to wiggle his arms around but couldn't do much more than flex them without almost knocking me off him. With a surprised gasp I did my best to stay where I was by hanging onto him tighter and did my best to ignore how my limbs shook from the effort. This was a lot more painful than I anticipated it to be. Tears stung the corners of my eyes involuntarily.
"You should be able to go through now," I stated carefully, voicing certainty and strength rather than my pain. "Then you can fight it."
It took less than a second for Dally to agree. "Okay!" And it took even less than that for him to jump at the barrier again. We passed through it like it wasn't even there.
"Yes!" Dally crowed the instant his feet landed on the walkway. I flinched both at the loudness of it next to my ear and the jolt that went through me from the not-so-gentle landing.
Letting go of him with my legs, I dangled from Dally's neck like some sort of oversized necklace until he used his freed hands to hold me by waist. Instantly I went stiff and not just because the way Dally was helping me get down was making my ribs scream.
Over his shoulder I spotted how the plant monster moved in a near blur, the bright blue that ran along it's body somehow so much brighter as it did so. All I had time to do as gasp and tighten my hold around Dally's neck before the creature was close enough to reach us. Dally barely started to turn before the plant monster's vines had wrapped around our torsos. It's sharp barbs dug into my back painfully. I heard Dally cry out with me as we were both lifted up into the air and thrown, being yanked apart in the process.
My sides screamed their pain at me when I landed hard on my back, breath unceremoniously stolen from my lungs. Absently I groped at the stones underneath me in desperate attempt to figure out where I landed while simultaneously trying to regain my breath in gulping gasps. It looked like the world above me swam around in shades of blue as I tried to adjust. All the while I couldn't help but wonder if Dally was okay and worry about where Moon had been flung to- because my monkey friend was certainly no longer around my neck.
Finally, finally, able to breathe again, I pushed myself over onto one of my sides and did my best to keep that newly attained breath in my lungs. One of my arms came up to wrap around my ribs- as though that could help- and I sat back on my legs to wearily look around for Dally.
I couldn't hear anything, was he still down? Oh, but now that I was focused on my hearing I noticed that there was a faint humming in the distance. On top of that I could feel a throb at the back of my head, though it was nothing compared to the pain in my ribs. That must have happened just now too.
Blinking, I felt rather sluggish when I finally noticed the red hair that stuck up like a flame atop Dally's head. At his side was a flaming Rubilax which was swung at the plant monster haphazardly. They were closest to the outer edge of the room, near the collapsed ceiling with the tunnel that I was supposed to be evacuating the others into.
That humming in my ears stayed constant. Though, distantly, I could faintly hear Dally taunting the plant monster as though he were having an entire conversation with it. It sounded as though his voice was reaching me from the other side of a long tunnel.
I began to push myself up- only to pause at noticing the curious nature of the walkway stones underneath me.
They were glowing purple.
It wasn't the entire stone that was purple but some sort of emblem that was carved onto the stone. Which was weird. I only needed a quick glance around the area to know that the only stones like this were the ones directly under me. Ultimately deciding to ignore it, I put my hand on the stones to help push myself to my feet- only to stare with wide eyes as the stone I touched (which was completely plain and ordinary as any stone could get) suddenly lit up purple too. Removing my hand as though it were burned, I watched with fascination as that purple color seemed to bleed into the stones nearby before dissipating completely.
In quick succession I slapped my palm on several tones around me, completely at random, to see what would happen. Each time it would light up purple, only for the color to dissipate. Though I did notice how when the color bled out of the stone it always seemed to be in one particular direction. When I looked up in said direction, I found myself staring at the center pillar of the cavern.
I was only one row of terrariums away from that pillar. Sat where I was, the carving of the winged serpent seemed to stare down directly at me. As I stared back, somewhat frozen in my shock at the realization, I noticed that there was no faint waver or short gleam that bounced off this pillar. In other words, there was no water that flowed down it unlike the other seven. Why was that?
Wanting to investigate, I glanced over to where I could still hear Dally taunting the plant monster. In the middle of a jump, Dally swung his sword down on the creature. It's vines waved about in front of it as it seemed to follow Dally's movements through the air. By the time Dally landed on the pathway between two terrariums the plant monster was already well out of reach from the blade. Annoyance rang loudly in Dally's tone as he freed the end of Rubliax's blade from the stone and swung it at his side in preparation for another attack while he yelled non-sense at the plant monster.
While confused that the plant monster was only dodging Dally and not actually fighting back, I also felt rather relieved at the sight. Dally wasn't getting hurt in the exchange and he wasn't favoring anything- which meant that he hadn't gotten very hurt when we'd been tossed.
Staggering as I got to my feet, I gave a light shake of my head when the humming I had been hearing only increased in volume. Brow furrowed, my head tilted from one side to the other. The sound was definitely louder in this directi- eyes opened, I found myself staring up at the winged serpent. Curiously I stepped forward. The humming grew louder with each step I took. Purple colored the stones under my feet. They lit up under my weight and dispersed when I no longer touched it.
When the humming went silent I came to a stop. I was at the base of the center pillar.
The dispersed purple light now traveled up the length of the pillar as though it were a stream which originated from where I stood. It crawled up the crevices and curves that made up the winged serpent, lit up both the pillar and the carved creature rather brilliantly with it's purple light. Beautiful. My eyes followed the light's progress up the winged serpent's body. I felt rather mesmerized as the eyes finally lit up.
A second ticked by before the light in the eyes seemed to bubble over. It spilled out like tears down the open stone mouth, gathered at the sharp canines in two large droplets. Droplets that only seemed to grow until they were large enough to touch. Immediately they merged into a single giant droplet (it was the size of Dally's head- at the very least- counting his hair) which looked as though it were suspended within the winged serpent's mouth. Purple light stopped flowing up the pillar and out of the eyes of the stone winged serpent, leaving only the giant droplet. A droplet which shone and then gained an image inside of it.
The image was of a person clad in a purple cloak. But all that I could really focus on was the distinctive hat that sat on this person's head. It looked exactly like mine. And I don't mean like how Yugo's hat looked like mine- this looked like an exact copy of the one that I wore on my head every day. Then the image began to speak.
"To the next life that I live..."
Goosebumps rose on my skin at the sound of the eerily familiar voice. It echoed around the cavern loudly, almost ominously with it's calm. My mouth felt dry all of a sudden. Body rigid. Eyes wide as I stared. Heart in my throat. What was this...?
"May you prosper with this research that I have left behind for you through our many lifetimes... May you further this research and serve our people proudly with this knowledge... Know that I... you... Elena of the fourteen firstborn... have cultivated this knowledge with the intent to heal those born from the union of our God and Goddess and allow them to forever prosper..."
Slowly the droplet began to fall from the stone mouth of the winged serpent. It dripped down to hang just in front of me. Like a wad of spit. Glowing, purple spit.
"To my incarnation I present the seventh Terrarium Seed House... Protected by the Anansinaga grown with our unique Wakfu specialization... so this place may stay undisturbed until such time as I... you... may return once more..."
Glimmering, the droplet condensed on itself as it lost the image of the cloaked woman whom wore my hat. Soon it was no bigger than my thumb. Carefully I lifted my hand... and poked it. The purple droplet was hard to the touch, cool, and smooth as still water. It was as though it had turned into some sort of stone. Gently I grasped it between my thumb and forefinger, turned it in my grip with interest as my thoughts swirled.
I didn't really understand this... message... that I had just heard. A next life? Research? Lifetimes? A people... Someone (else?) named Elena... It all hurt my head to think about. At the same time I couldn't deny that there was a small part of me... that felt like the words rang with familiarity. And not just because of the voice that spoke them.
A soft noise met my ears. Turned towards it, I spotted Moon. He had his belly pressed to the floor and his side plastered to the bed of the terrarium that was beside him. Big frightened eyes were cast about, before they met my gaze. There was no doubt that Moon was asking me if it was safe for him to approach.
The purple droplet dropped in the palm of my hand and I curled my fingers around it protectively as I contemplated where I could put it for safe keeping- only to have my thoughts entirely derailed as my eyes caught movement.
It was Dally, sword held high, as he swung at the plant monster. While the attack looked no different than it had before, instead of dodging, the plant monster- what had the person in the droplet called it? A Snigga? No that didn't sound right- seemed to be frozen in place. In an instant Dally had swung his sword down and one of the plant monster's feelers were sliced clean off.
In that same instant a pain unlike anything I had felt before sliced itself through my forearm. A scream tore itself out of my throat at the sudden unexpected affliction. My mind scrambled to figure out what was wrong even as the pain made my vision white out.
When the pain had receded enough to allow me to actually think I realized that I was on my knees again, wood of my mask pressed painfully into my face as I tried to physically force my forehead to press hard into the cool stone of the walkway. My one hand clutched tight to my injured forearm though I doubted that actually helped me in any way.
Thick tears rolled down my face. My body was so tense from the pain it was hard to breathe- which wasn't helped by my mask currently being squished against me as though in a bad attempt to blend my face and the wood of the mask together. I could hear the high wail Moon let out as he panicked somewhere nearby. Then there was a thud and hands were lifting my stiff and sore body up.
"Elena!" Dally yelped out as he turned me so he could see one of my eyes. His voice was loud near my ear, face scrunched up in a distantly familiar way while he looked me over. Worry rang like a siren in his tone, "what happened?! Where are you hurt?! Here?!"
One of his arms was wrapped around my shoulders, propping me up against him in a half steadied position. My head spun from the abruptness of the motion, making me feel rather sick to the stomach.
Dally grabbed my limb that I clutched and turned it this way and that. My breathing evened out as he did so, my mind registering the distinct lack of pain present despite the serious wound I must have somehow been dealt to cause me so much pain in the first place.
With a fortified breath I let my vision drop. Moon was the first that I saw as he paced back and forth in front of my knees. As though he felt my gaze upon him he quickly turned to meet my eyes before he took the opportunity to hop up on my lap. From there he patted me down, looking for where I hurt. Which quickly drew my attention to my arm.
The stunned silence of my thoughts stalled my breath at the sight of it. There was nothing wrong with my hand. It was all attached, not a scratch nor a drop of blood was present on my skin. Slowly I managed to ease my own fingers out of their vice-like grip on my forearm. Red marked where I had held my own arm in agony, the only physical evidence of anything happening to me at all. Carefully I opened and closed my hand that I had been certain had been injured. My fingers tingled, numb and cold, but they moved perfectly and without any pain present.
Relief crashed through me and my shoulders dropped. Stale air rushed out of my lungs, soon replaced by crisp new air that was tinged with Dally's scent due to his proximity.
I wasn't going crazy was I? While glad that I wasn't actually hurt- that had hurt! Where did that pain come from? What had caused it?
Dally's voice yanked me back out of my thoughts. Much calmer than before, "what happened?" he asked sounding just as confused as I felt.
"I... I don't know." I sighed, moved out of his arms to sit on my own. He still twisted my arm around as though the limb might reveal what had happened to it with enough examination. Moon made a whine before he scurried up my shoulder and tucked himself back under the tail of my hat to snuggle close to the back of my neck.
A little shyly due to the obvious lack of injury, "I was just about to pick up Moon when it happened. It... it felt like my arm got... sliced off." I cringed, internally preparing myself as I continued. "Now... it doesn't hurt. At all."
Brow furrowed, Dally gave my arm another look over before he finally dropped it. "I'm glad your not hurt! You had me worried there for a moment!" With a wide grin on his face Dally got back up to his feet, much to my disbelief, and held out a hand to help me up. When he'd pulled me up to my feet he dropped my hand and turned back towards where he'd been battling the plant monster.
"Sorry..." I managed to say, ears of my hat falling as I avoided eye contact.
"What for?" Dally questioned. Out of the corner of my eye I could see how he'd tilted his head at me curiously. Genuinely confused.
"For worrying you... when nothing was wrong."
"Oh! Is that all? It's fine!" Dally gave a joyful laugh as he patted my shoulder. Each pat was heavy and sent a twinge through my ribs. Somehow it was reassuring. Something that had balled up tight in my gut began to loosen. "You're not hurt and that's what matters!"
Warmth burst through me at those words. Wide eyed, I stared, speechless. Memories of when I was smaller threatened to surface and I bit my lip when it gave a tremble from the pain that now came from within at the mere thought of the past.
"Wait a minute-" eyes suddenly on his empty hands, "where's my sword?" Dally's tone bordered upon panic as he started to search the area.
"Over here genius!" Rubilax's annoyed voice rang out in the cavernous space. "Right where you dropped me!"
"Oh right!" Dally brightened up, worry gone completely, at the sword's voice. He jogged over, I followed at a slower pace but eyed the very still form of the plant monster up ahead.
"Did you... kill it?" I questioned as I looked through a terrarium at the creature on it's other side.
Surprise colored his features as he blinked at the plant monster too. "I did?"
"She's asking if you did, dimwit!" Rubilax snapped at Dally, "and if you were paying attention you'd know the answer is no! You only cut off a vine before the girl started wailing!"
At the statement I couldn't help but give a wince. A whole tempest of emotions whirled to life inside me. Most prominently I felt ashamed even though I couldn't even be sure as to why. Maybe it had something to do with the accusation in Rubilax's tone, like I had done something very wrong. Which was angering because I didn't like being made to feel ashamed. It wasn't as though I had made up the pain that I had felt. A confusing thing since I was never actually hurt. Guilt was still present at that thought because, apparently, Dally had dropped everything just to get to me and check on me. A fact that was hard to wrap my head around but caused a tiny bubble of happiness to float up in me, gently nudging me to acknowledge the act as a sign of caring.
"Quiet, you-!" Dally wapped the blade against the edge of the nearest terrarium bed. Instantly Rubilax began to cry his complaint against the treatment. He didn't gain much sympathy from me.
My focus instead returned to the plant monster. Since I took notice of it I hadn't seen it move once, not even a twitch. Maybe that was normal for it- it is a plant after all- but it was also some sort of creature. Wasn't it? Either way seeing the plant monster like it was didn't sit right with me.
"Oh, don't- lo- look now-! B- but it seems- like yo- you're being- left behind-!" Rubilax's voice echoed a bit as it sounded from behind me, the steady whack of blade against stone now stopped.
"Huh?" Was Dally's answer just as I rounded the terrarium to get a full view of the plant monster left in the walkway. "Oh! Elena!"
"I think..." I tilted my head at the plant monster as I took in it's appearance.
Long spider-like legs were curled up underneath of it. Feelers had been bunched up in a ball in front of it. It was relaxed enough to allow for some blue of the inner petals of it's head to be just made out from between the sharp teeth-like edges.
In awe, "...it's asleep." I finished saying quietly, not bothering to look over as Dally stopped at my side.
"That won't do," and Dally sounded truly troubled by the fact. When I looked over at him for it, I saw how he frowned, brow furrowed, and had Rubilax rested on one shoulder lazily. Said sword rolled it's single eye with enough attitude for the action to be physically felt. "How am I supposed to defeat it if it's asleep?"
"Just kill it anyway." Rubilax answered plainly. "Awake or not, it'll be dead either way."
"No way!" Dally spoke as though the suggestion had been offensive. "There's no honor in killing something that doesn't even know it's going to die! It can't fight back!"
"Aren't you people all about mercy?! What's kind about making your victim fight for it's life when it's only going to die anyway?! Exactly who's really the Shushu here?!"
"Shut it! It's the principle of things! This is for honor!"
"Honor! It'll die either way!"
As the two devolved into another argument I returned my attention to the plant monster and narrowed my eyes as I spotted something interesting. At the angle I stood at I couldn't quite see it properly, but maybe...
Briefly I looked to the purple droplet stone that was still clutched tight in the meat of my hand. The voice that had accompanied the image in the stone had said that this place, this Terrarium... House... Seed... place, was protected by creatures whose long name escapes me. However I could guess that the creature mentioned was supposed to be this plant monster.
Which might have meant that this plant monster, in some way, was trying to protect this place.
A/N: Let me know your thoughts!
Feb.9, 2025